While both Congress and the BJP are yet to declare their candidates from Jabalpur constituency, Congress seems to have zeroed down on Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha against the sitting BJP MP and State BJP president Rakesh Singh.

Though Tankha had expressed reluctance to a Lok Sabha ticket, the party could field him from Jabalpur where he is based and has sizable followership.

Besides, the Congress could field Ajay Singh from Sidhi and Nakul Nath from Chhindwara and there could be the names in a list which the party could release late evening on Saturday.

Chief Minister Kamal Nath had on Saturday hinted that the party could finalise most of the names within three to four days. Public Relations minister PC Sharma had followed up by saying most names are finalised and mere formal announcement is awaited. On most seats the BJP and Congress are awaiting each-others’ names before finalising their own.

With the BJP finding it hard to find a suitable opponent for Bhopal, it also rumoured that Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar who was made to shift seat from Gwalior to Morena could well be brought to Bhopal and BJP general secretary VD Sharma who was considered a strong favourite for Bhopal could be shifted to Morena. Sharma who was a favourite before Congress named Digvijaya Singh seems to have backtracked in last few days. “I would do whatever the party asks me to,” Sharma told the media on his candidature on Saturday.

Speculations are also rife that Jyotiraidtya Scinda would be fielded from Indore and sources in BJP claim the sitting MP Sumitra

Mahajan could withdraw her candidature in case Scindia steps into Indore. In a later night list released on Friday, the BJP had named three candidates – dropping names of two sitting MPs. Dhal Singh Bisen is fielded from Balaghat, Gajendra Patel from Khargone and sitting MP from Rajgarh Roadmal Nagar got a re-nomination.