Sadhvi Pragya Thakur joins BJP, likely to contest against Digvijaya Singh from Bhopal

Before announcing her decision to join the BJP, Sadhvi Pragya met senior BJP leaders including Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Ramlal, and Prabhat Jha at party's office in Bhopal.

Pragya Singh Thakur (Source: PTI)

Sadhvi Pragya Thakur on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party formally and said that she will fight and win election. "I have formally joined BJP, I will contest elections and will win also. I have been extended BJP membership on Tuesday," Sadhvi Pragya said. Before announcing her decision to join the BJP, Sadhvi Pragya met senior BJP leaders including Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Ramlal, and Prabhat Jha at party's office in Bhopal. Talking to media, Sadhvi Pragya said that the election in Bhopal will be fought on the issue of nationalism and it is the beginning of 'Dharam Yudh'. Pragya Sadhvi also said that she has a strong connection with the people of Bhopal and has worked all across Bhopal as the organisation minister of ABVP. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh shall be Pragya's main rival from the Bhopal seat after Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath said that in case he wished to contest the Lok Sabha elections, he should choose the “toughest seat”. The Bhopal constituency is spread over eight assembly segments, — Berasia, Bhopal Uttar, Narela, Bhopal south-west, Bhopal central, Govindpura, Huzur and Sehore. Madhya Pradesh goes to polls in four phases for its 29 Lok Sabha seats. Madhya Pradesh will began its Lok Sabha election polling fourth phase onwards in which six seats will vote on April 29. On May 6, seven seats will go for polls, while in the fifth phase and in phase six on May 12 eight seats will vote. In the last and seventh phase, eight seats will vote on May 19. Thakur is a key accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. She is out on bail but hasn't been discharged by the special NIA court in the case. According to media reports, BJP has also finalised its candidates for Sagar, Vidisha and Guna Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. BJP has a strong hold in Bhopal as Congress has not tasted victory in Bhopal since 1989.