Bhopal, Nov 25, 2019-
While Maharashtra has caught everyone’s attention with plots of a bollywood potboiler, the BJP is making a quiet move in Madhya Pradesh, where the Congress has a thin majority.
According to sources, the BJP has established contacts with Congress general secretary and former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who recently removed the Congress tag from his Twitter handle, creating quite a buzz about his next move, though he later gave a not-too convincing rebuttal.
According to reports, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has been assigned the task to woo the disgruntled legislators, who are apparently unhappy with the functioning of Kamal Nath-led Congress government.
Political commentators know that Scindia is not happy with the functioning of the party in Madhya Pradesh. He has expressed unhappiness on more than one occasion since the rise of Kamal Nath to Chief Minister’s chair, a post Scindia always wanted.
Scindia-supported MLAs, including Imarati Devi, Pradyumn Singh Tomar and others have let it be known that they would like Scindia to be made Madhya Pradesh Congress President.
The Congress has 115 MLAs in the 230-member Assembly in the state, while BJP is close behind with 109 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party with 2, Samajwadi Party with 1 and 4 independents have extended their support to the Kamal Nath government, leanding it a thin majority.
The state BJP leadership has said time and again that if the party leadership gives the green signal, the Kamal Nath government can be toppled. Leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava and general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya have issued statements in the past.
BJP sources have said that the state leadership has held several rounds of meetings with disgruntled Congress MLAs and is trying to make them jump the ship. Adding to the speculation, Scindia is believed to have had a meeting with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week.
The reason why Tomar has established contacts with Scindia is that most of the Congress MLAs have been elected from Gwalior-Chambal area, a known Scindia bastion.
Tomar has also met three Congress MLAs, including a minister, sources said. The discussion seems to have taken place over how many MLAs will support Scindia if he is handed over the chief minister’s post.
Political commentator Shiv Anurag Pateria said, “Hectic political activities are likely in the coming days as BJP has almost made up its mind to bring Scindia to its fold to topple the Kamal Nath government. After all, Scindia’s grand mother Vijaya Raje Scindia was one of the founder members of the BJP.”
An RSS leader working in Madhya Pradesh said the BJP should have no problem in extending support to Scindia if he decides to join hands with the saffron party. Two of his aunts are already members of the BJP. (Agency)
