Umaria: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhupendra Singh has said demonetisation has not affected Bharatiya Janata Party’s chances in the upcoming Assembly bypolls in the state and is confident of winning the same.
The bypolls to Bandhavgarh seat in Umaria district and Ater seat in Bhind district are scheduled next month.
"Demonetisation will not have any impact on the bypolls in the state and the BJP would win with a comfortable majority," Singh told reporters here last evening.
The state Home Minister arrived in Umaria on Monday to review the preparations for the by-elections.
BJP has fielded Shiv Narayan Singh, son of party MP from Shahdol Gyan Singh, from Bandhavgarh seat in Umaria.
The by poll in Bandhavgarh was necessitated after Gyan Singh was elected as an MP from Shahdol Lok Sabha seat.
To a question, the minister said that the BJP will seek votes in the name of good work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
On why BJP has fielded Gyan Singh's son when the party is opposed to nepotism in politics, the Home minister defended the decision by describing Shiv Narayan as a dedicated party worker who is popular among the people.
Asked about reports of shortage of currency notes post demonetisation, he said there is no such crisis.
Besides Bandhavgarh, the byelection is also scheduled to be held in Ater Assembly seat of Bhind district.
The bypoll to the seat was necessitated because of the death of sitting Congress MLA Satyadev Katare, who was also the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly.
His son Hemant Katare is now contesting from the seat on Congress ticket against BJP's Arvind Bhadoria.
The polling will be held on April 9, and the counting of votes will take place on April 13.
