Betul, Apr 11: Helicopters frequently taking off into the sky, convoy of air-conditioned vehicles and enthusiasm of political workers make it hard to believe that election campaign is underway for the Lok Sabha by-election in tribal-dominated Betul constituency in Madhya Pradesh and not a high-profile constituency.

Stakes are high for the ruling BJP and main opposition Congress in the Betul bypoll in view of assembly elections scheduled this year end. Both the parties are treating the bypoll as a ''semi-final'' despite the fact that the victorious candidate would get less than a year to work in the constituency.

It is 'Kamal' (read BJP) versus 'Kamal' (read Union Minister Kamal Nath) in Betul. While Mr Nath has made the bypoll a matter of prestige pumping huge resources for the bypoll, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was leaving no stone unturned to ensure victory for BJP.

The by-election is being viewed as a contest between Mr Nath and Mr Chouhan much similar to the recent Rajya Sabha election when the fight was seen as between Mr Chouhan and newly-appointed state Congress President Suresh Pachouri. With the onset of summer, electorate in this tribal-dominated region are not enthusiastic but seemed verily surprised at what was forcing senior political leaders and party workers to sweat it out in the most backward constituency.

The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of BJP MP Vijay Kumar Khandelwal alias 'Munni Bhaiya', who had been representing the constituency since last four elections. His son Hemanth Khandelwal has been fielded by the BJP, while the Congress has announced Masaud legislator Sukhdeo Panse as its candidate. Samajwadi Party MLA Dr Sunilam is also contesting for the seat though the main fight is between BJP and Congress. Both BJP and Congress are making tireless efforts to ward off formidable challenge posed by each other. BJP leaders believe that their party would emerge victorious but would bag less votes than the previous election.

Blaming the Centre, BJP has made the government's failure to control inflation as a poll issue. On the other hand, the Congress has made power crisis and unemployment besides deteriorating law and order as its poll plank. Surprisingly, the presence of Dr Sunilam, who bagged 74,000 votes in the last election, was not being felt. Voices of dissent can be heard against the Multai legislator in his own assembly segment.

Election scene in Betul is high-tech with young leaders using laptops in their preparations for the bypoll. Helicopters dominating the sky indicate that the Congress and the BJP were leaving no stone unturned. With Mr Nath taking reins of election campaign, an army of his trusted leaders and supporters are camping in Betul. A confidante proudly stated that the Congress would not be lagging behind the BJP in any manner.

The BJP has made this an election issue. BJP General Secretary Prabhat Jha, who has been recently elected as Rajya Sabha MP from the state, said Congress candidate had been relegated to the background and only Mr Nath was visible. Senior BJP leaders admit that their party was taking every step carefully due to defeats in some of the recent by-elections. Its election management and strategy appeared markedly better than the Congress. The RSS had also launched its campaign quite early resulting in the BJP flag and the name of the party candidate reaching the remote areas.

On other hand, the Congress admits delay in selecting party candidate and launching the campaign but asserts that it had not only covered the delay but was in a position to win. For the BJP, the main campaigner is Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who made whirlwind tour of the constituency holding 15-20 election meetings in a day. During his meetings, he is jeered by villagers when he assures villagers in local dialect: ''Don't worry about your daughters. They would go to another home as 'Ladli Lakshmi' now.''

The BJP expects to reap benefit from the state government's much trumpetted 'Janani Suraksha Yojana' and 'Ladli Lakshmi Yojana'. On the other hand, BJP-supported 'panch'(gram) representatives are making things difficult for the BJP by allegedly providing benefits of schemes to their own people. The issue is being taken up by the Congress.

For the Congress, main campaigners are Mr Nath and Mr Pachouri. Mr Nath, who represents adjoining Chhindwara in Lok Sabha, draws huge crowd. However, Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh and Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, who was recently inducted into the cabinet, not coming for campaign is also a major topic for discussion. Mr Singh is, however, scheduled to join the campaign in the last phase. A senior Congress leader rejects this stating that Mr Pachouri was working by taking all party leaders together and had the support of senior party leaders.

Factionalism does not appear to be an issue for both parties. Congress leaders Aslam Sher Khan and Gufran e Azam, who had represented Betul in Parliament, extended their support to Mr Panse but did not campaign. BJP dissident leader Rajeev Khandelwal was campaigning for the candidate of his party but was allegedly providing help to Gondwana Gantantra Party candidate.

About 11 lakh electorate - including about 3.2 lakh tribals and 2.75 lakh 'Kurmi' community voters - would exercise their franchise in the April 12 bypoll. The BJP is eyeing tribal voters, whereas the Congress is wooing 'Kurmi' voters. Mr Panse belongs to 'Kurmi' community.

Political pundits believe that 'Kurmi' voters would be polarised in favour of the Congress during this election. Meanwhile, BJP leaders from this community are making efforts to woo them. Betul constituency comprises eight assembly segments of which BJP held five, Congress two and the SP one. The BJP is facing tough contest from the Congress in Masaud, Ghodadongri, Harda and Amla segments but it seemed to be in comfortable position in Betul, Multai, Bhaisdehi and Timarni. A total of 12 candidates, including those of Congress, BJP, SP,GGP and Samajwadi Jan Parishad besides seven independents are in the fray.

Counting would take place on April 16.