The longstanding infighting within Madhya Pradesh Congress is not a hidden secret. Now its forerunners are also not having any qualms about owning it publicly. Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia today called out Chief Minister Kamal Nath stating that his administration should listen to its ministers instead of allowing interference from outside.
Scindia in an oblique reference to the public sparring between a state minister Umang Singhar and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh said that “If such issues are happening, then the Chief Minister should listen to both sides and solve them,” hinting that the onus of solving the internal party issues lie on the CM.
While talking to media at an event in Mela Maidan on Wednesday, Scindia added, “There should be no interference in the government, there are no two ways about it.”
Recently, one of the ministers of Kamal Nath led cabinet in Madhya Pradesh, Umang Singhar had levelled serious allegations against Congress party veteran and former CM of the state Digvijaya Singh, accusing him of trying to destabilise the Madhya Pradesh government.
Singhar, forest minister in the MP state government, had written a letter to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi Sunday accusing Digvijaya of “running the government from behind the curtain.”
Moreover, throwing light on the infighting within the MP Congress, which the party has been trying to canvas, he called Digvijaya Singh a “blackmailer involved in illegal mining and liquor trade rackets in the state” and said the CBI should investigate him. Scindia asserted that allegations raised “should be heard by the Chief Minister.”
The Congress leader also observed, “It is after 15 years and extreme hard work that Congress party has come to power in Madhya Pradesh and it has been only 6 months.”
Scindia went on to suggest that several Congress leaders have pinned high hopes on the party and are expecting development from the state administration. He further suggested the government should sit and sort all differences.
Of late, Scindia has been making headlines for almost everything no matter how small an issue. Touted to be amongst the front-runners for the post of MPCC chief, he however, fears the party could repeat the assembly election scenario, wherein he was first considered as the party’s face in the run-up to elections but was eventually trumped by Nath. Just a few days ago, his supporters threatened mass resignations if he was not made the president of the Madhya Pradesh unit.
Media reports also suggested that Scindia too had threatened to look for “other options” if he sidelined again. However, on the record, he said there is “no question” of leaving the party.
Moreover, going against his party’s rhetoric, Scindia had expressed his support for Modi government’s recent decision to abrogate Article 370. While most members of the Congress including ex-president Rahul Gandhi have been toeing the Pakistani line and speaking against the move, few like Scindia dared to go against his party’s regular habit of downplaying whatever BJP does and voiced his opinion in favour of the conscientious.
