The opposition Congress has posted flyers accusing Akshay Bam, who switched to BJP after withdrawing from Indore's Lok Sabha candidacy, of being an "absconder" in a 17-year-old attempted murder case. They offer a Rs 5,100 reward for information leading to his arrest.

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari made an appeal on Monday to voters in the Indore Lok Sabha constituency, urging them to choose the None of the Above (NOTA) option following the withdrawal of the party's candidate, Akshay Kanti Bam.

The absence of the Congress from the Indore Lok Sabha race has subdued the campaigning atmosphere, raising speculation on the potential impact of 'NOTA' on May 13. With the Congress urging voters to opt for 'NOTA' to signal discontent with the BJP, they have been organising torch rallies, meetings, and leveraging social media for discussions.

The BJP convened a meeting late Sunday night to strategize on boosting voter turnout in the Indore Lok Sabha seat, now uncontested by the Congress following the withdrawal of its candidate.With 14 candidates, including BJP incumbent Shankar Lalwani, and nine independents in contention, the BJP seeks to maintain its hold on the seat, which it has retained for the past 35 years.

Former Congress candidate Akshay Kanti Bam cited party non-cooperation as the reason for his withdrawal from the Indore Lok Sabha race on April 29, marking the end of the party's 35-year-long contest in the constituency, after which he switched sides, joining the BJP.

The Congress in Madhya Pradesh faced a significant blow as its Indore Lok Sabha candidate, Akshay Kanti Bam, withdrew his nomination just two weeks before the polls, signaling a probable shift to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.