File pic: Senior BJP leader LK Advani
Last week, when the BJP announced its candidates for Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal was left out. It fueled speculation that the seat was being reserved for a high profile leader. It is now at the centre of the party's biggest crisis ahead of next month's national election.
Senior party leader LK Advani, the MP from Gandhinagar, has told his party that he wants to contest from Bhopal, a seat that has voted the BJP consistently since 1989.
Sources say Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had promised Mr Advani a sure win from Bhopal. But the party is trying to persuade the 87-year-old to run from Gandhinagar, from where he has been an MP for 16 straight years.
Mr Advani's name was recommended unanimously for the Gandhinagar seat by BJP leaders there, an argument that Mr Modi reportedly used while objecting to the stalwart's request to shift to Bhopal.
Now that the party has named Mr Advani for Gandhinagar, Bhopal is fair game for many state leaders.
Bhopal's sitting MP Kailash Joshi, who had been upset at being asked to step aside for Mr Advani, is reportedly keen on staking his claim on the constituency again.
Mr Joshi, a former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, had reportedly held out for long when asked to make way for Mr Advani, saying that he would vacate for no one but Narendra Modi. His bid to contest again from the seat that elected him in 2009 may not go unchallenged.
Sources say Babulal Gaur, also a former state Chief Minister, wants Bhopal for his daughter-in-law Krishna, who is currently the mayor of Bhopal.
Sources say BJP's state leaders will discuss their Bhopal candidate at a meeting this evening.