Congress Tries to Use Power of Hanuman Against BJP’s Ram in Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal: The Congress party has fielded actor-turned-politician Vikram Mastal, who played Hanuman in TV serial ‘Ramayan 2’, against Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Vikram Mastal joined the Congress in July 2023. By fielding the Hanuman actor, Congress wants to counter the BJP’s Ram politics by leveraging the power of Hanuman.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath proposed Vikram Mastal’s name to give Shivraj Singh a run for his money in his constituency of Budhni. Besides his Hanuman connection, Mastal is a Budhni boy.

The Congress kicked off its campaign for the Madhya Pradesh polls on June 12 in Jabalpur with massive cut-outs of Hanuman dotting the city and rallies echoing with ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’ chants.

It plans to recite the Sundar Kand in all 230 assembly constituencies of the state as part of its strategy to win at least 150 seats in the upcoming election.

In the past Congress leader Tarun Bhanot said, “Bajrang Bali’s ‘gada’ will work in Madhya Pradesh, just as it did in Karnataka.”

Mastal has ensured that his association with Hanuman is at the forefront of public recall. On October 13, as rumours buzzed that he would be contesting against Shivraj Chouhan, he took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted the message: “Keep smiling, Hanuman ji will take care of everything”.