Controversy erupts as BJP corporator removes NOTA posters in Indore amidst electoral upheaval

K K Jha

Indore: A day after Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari encouraged voters to consider the NOTA (None of the Above) option following Akshay Kanti Bam’s abrupt withdrawal from the race and subsequent allegiance shift to the BJP, a controversy unfolded in Indore.
After Bam’s unexpected move, which saw him switch sides from Congress to the BJP, the opposition party began advocating for NOTA, urging voters to use it as a statement of discontent. Consequently, many autorickshaws in the city displayed NOTA posters as part of this campaign.
In response, Corporator Sandhya Yadav from Ward 6 took matters into her own hands, literally, by removing NOTA posters from autorickshaws. A video capturing the incident surfaced on social media, shared by Congress leader Shobha Oza. In the video, Corporator Yadav is seen confronting an autorickshaw driver about the NOTA poster, to which the driver claimed he was paid to display it without much understanding of its significance.
Clarifying her actions, Corporator Yadav stated that she removed the posters as a conscientious citizen. She highlighted the confusion surrounding NOTA, emphasizing that it’s not a candidate but a voter choice. Drawing parallels with Indore’s success in cleanliness initiatives, she expressed confidence that the city would excel in exercising its voting rights as well. Yadav also criticized the Congress for what she perceived as misleading the public, particularly in light of Bam’s switch to the BJP, attributing it to ideological alignment.
The incident underscores the charged atmosphere surrounding elections and the complexities of political strategies in the region.