Bharati vs Bharati and Singh vs Singh in MP polls

Candidates with similar names are contesting in 32 out of MP's 230 constituencies, and even the candidates for CM's post are not spared.

Candidates with same or similar names are contesting in 32 of Madhya Pradesh's 230 assembly constituencies in the December 1 elections, and even the two candidates for the chief minister's post are not spared.

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In the Bada Malehra constituency, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) chief
ministerial candidate Uma Bharati is pitted against Uma Devi Bharati, an
independent candidate.

And in Chief Minister Digvijay Singh's constituency in Raghogarh, the
confusion is even more confounded. He fights not only BJP national general secretary Shivraj Singh Chauhan, with the Singh in common of course, but also an independent called Shivraj Singh.

Raghogarh is the chief minister's home and traditional constituency.

It may be an intensely fought battle with high stakes for the BJP and for
the Congress, which is trying to rule the state for the third time, but this
name jumble might just complicate things even more.

It now depends on the electorate not to jumble up the names while casting
their ballots.

Besides the Bharatis and the Singhs, there are other name games being played
out in the state.

Two Hazarilal Raghuvashis are contesting from the Seoni Malwa constituency.
One is the excise minister of Madhya Pradesh and the other is an independent
candidate.

In the Sumawali constituency, Ranjit Singh is facing Ranjit Singh Yadav.
Both are independent candidates.

In the Ater constituency, independent candidate Anil Kumar Katare is in the
fray against Anil, also an independent candidate.

Lahar is a unique constituency as Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Rama
Shankar Singh confronts Rama Shankar Chaudhry and two Shailendra Singhs,
both independents, are facing each other.

For the Lashkar west seat, two Narayan Singh Kushwahas are in the fray. One
belongs to the BJP and the other one is an independent.

Similarly in the Surkhi constituency, two Bhupendra Singhs, one from the BJP
and the other independent, are in the fray.

For the Chhattarpur seat, two Jagdamba Prasads are in the fray. One Jagdamba
Prasad is from the BSP and the other an independent.

Phew! The parties need to alert their voters to the confusion ahead. And
fast.