Govindpura

The electoral script of Govindpura constituency in Bhopal district seems to have been irreversibly written during the post-emergency anti-Congress wave in 1977. A seat traditionally won by the Congress since then was constituted in 1967. Post-1977 it never really looked the Congress way ever.

And the script-writer of this U-turn electoral story is none other than the Leader of Opposition in State Assembly and senior BJP leader Babulal Gaur. Sine 1980, the people of Govindpura have been religiously returning the veteran leader from the seat, making it synonymous with Gaur’s name.

There is mixed population of the BHEL employees, Sindhi community and the farmers in the villages on the outskirts of the State capital. Thus, this is the semi-urban seat of the Bhopal district.

Now, the voters in the newly-developed colonies on Hoshangabad Road and BHEL area are also included in it besides the slums relocated in this area from Bhopal south. However, the new colonies are only considered to have increased the vote bank of the BJP.

Besides the problems of the BHEL employees, the development would be an issue in some urban areas of this constituency.

First Published: Oct 22, 2003 19:02 IST