Indore, May 1: Madhya Pradesh Congress on Wednesday appealed to people of Indore parliamentary seat to vote for 'NOTA' in the Lok Sabha elections after its candidate Akshay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Bam pulled back his nomination paper on Monday and switched his sides to the saffron party. Two days after this happening, the Congress party held a meeting in Indore on Wednesday afternoon and decided that they would campaign for NOTA in the constituency for LS polls 2024.

The Congress leaders will hold public meetings and visit among the people like before but instead of seeking votes for a candidate, they will appeal to people to vote for NOTA. Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma said, "A heinous crime has been committed by Narendra Modi's BJP. Indore is known for justice, but BJP has written the definition of injustice here. We have been saying this for many months that if the BJP wins, the constitution and democracy will not survive."Madhya Pradesh: Big Blow to Congress, Akshay Kanti Bam Withdraws Nomination from Indore Parliamentary Seat.

Withdrawing the nomination form of a party-identified candidate (Akshay Kanti Bam) by applying pressure is murder of democracy. Indore will have to give an answer. It is a question of Indore's identity, he added. "I appeal to every citizen that NOTA is the only option. If democracy has to be kept alive, then Indore will have to set an example across the nation. Vote for the NOTA and re-establish democracy," Verma further said.

On the other hand, Congress leader Shobha Oza targeted the BJP saying the saffron party tarnished Indore and they made Congress candidate's nomination withdrawn by intimidation. "BJP has tarnished Indore and voters' rights have been snatched. The Congress candidate's nomination was withdrawn by intimidation. Public feel cheated and in such a situation there is no option other than NOTA," She said. Ramniwas Rawat Joins BJP: Congress Faces Big Blow in Madhya Pradesh As Six-Time MLA Jumps Ship To Bhartiya Janata Party in Presence of CM Mohan Yadav (Watch Video).

This time voters in Indore will create a record by giving maximum votes to NOTA. Many different parties and people have been consulted and they also agree that they will vote for NOTA only, the congress leader added. Indore will go to poll in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 13 with seven other parliamentary seats in the state. BJP's incumbent MP from Indore, Shankar Lalwani is contesting again from the seat. Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh are being conducted in four phases.

The first phase of polling was held on April 19 and the second phase was concluded on April 26. The next two phases will be conducted on May 7 and May 13. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. With 29 Lok Sabha constituencies, Madhya Pradesh ranks sixth among all states in terms of its representation in the Lower House. Of these, 10 seats are reserved for SC and ST candidates, while the remaining 19 are unreserved.