Senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya dismissed the impact of Congress' call for voters to select the NOTA option in the upcoming May 13 elections in Indore, asserting that the saffron nominee will secure victory by a staggering margin of over 8 lakh votes.
Accusing the Congress of engaging in "negative politics" over the past decade, Vijayvargiya emphasized that the Bharatiya Janata Party is not a receptacle for all dissenters, stating, "The BJP is not a dustbin which will accept all the garbage."
Regarding the possibility of former chief minister Kamal Nath and his son Nakul Nath joining the BJP, Vijayvargiya indicated a selective approach, stating that while a "good man" like Kamal Nath would be welcomed, not all members of Congress seeking to cross over would find the doors open to them.
"The Congress' call for NOTA in Indore is 100 per cent negative," Vijayvargiya remarked, highlighting his lack of surprise at the opposition's strategy.
The incumbent MP and BJP nominee Shankar Lalwani is anticipated to secure victory by a substantial margin, as the Congress withdrew its candidate, Akshay Kanti Bam, who subsequently joined the BJP, effectively removing the opposition from the poll race in the constituency.
In response to Bam's withdrawal, the Congress has been urging voters to choose the NOTA option as a means to "teach the BJP a lesson."
Reflecting on Bam's decision to switch parties, Vijayvargiya claimed that Bam opted to withdraw his nomination in person to send a message to the Congress about his departure without external pressure.
Senior BJP leader Sumitra Mahajan raised questions about Bam's withdrawal, but when pressed for comment, Vijayvargiya deferred, stating, "Tai (as Mahajan is known popularly) is our supreme leader. We all respect her. Therefore, I do not consider it appropriate to answer questions related to any of her statements."