Another independent candidate from Madhya Pradesh was seen seated on a donkey as he arrived to file his nomination papers for the upcoming assembly polls in the state on Friday. Independent candidate Imran Khan was seen wearing a garland made of tomatoes and onions when he arrived to file his nomination papers from Rajgarh.

According to Khan, it was his way of conveying the disappointment people face once they elect someone as an MLA.

Earlier, Priyank Singh Thakur, from Burhanpur assembly seat was also seen riding a donkey to reach the tehsil office to submit his nomination form on Thursday. Speaking about his arrival on a donkey, Thakur said, “They (politicians) are making a donkey out of people and thus I rode a donkey while going to submit my nomination form.”

According to a report in TOI, Thakur sought a BJP ticket to contest assembly polls from Burhanpur seat. But the denial of it led him to file nomination as an independent candidate. “I was also seeking donkey as my symbol to contest polls, but it’s not available,” TOI quoted the candidate.

In the upcoming weeks, five Indian states, namely Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Mizoram, are set to undergo crucial elections. The electoral process will span from November 7 to November 30, with the results scheduled to be announced on December 3. Notably, these elections hold significant importance as they mark the final major electoral event before the 2024 elections.

The polls are particularly noteworthy as they are the first to take place following the formation of the INDIA bloc in July. This coalition, comprising 26 opposition parties, aims to challenge the ruling BJP in these crucial state elections.

(With inputs from PTI)