Madhya Pradesh has plunged into a political crisis after senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia along with 19 others ditched the Congress party and tendered his resignation to the party. As per latest reports, Scindia met Home Minister Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi. The development has fuelled speculation that Scindia could join the BJP and ultimately help the latter unseat his political rival, Kamal Nath from power.
Many Congress leaders have taken to Twitter to react to this latest political astoundment. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh in the early hours of Tuesday (10 March) took a dig at Scindia saying that a ‘true Congressi’ will remain in Congress only.
Digvijaya Singh, Congress: Jo sahi Congressi hain woh Congress mein rahega. #MadhyaPradesh https://t.co/KoZAEOdUv9
— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2020
Singh had earlier claimed that the party had tried to establish contact with incognito leader Jyotiraditya Scindia but failed to do so as he is said to be suffering from Swine flu. Incidentally, a few hours later media reports had recorded Scindia returning back to his residence.
This comment from Singh came after it was reported that all state cabinet ministers in the Kamal Nath led Madhya Pradesh government tendered their resignation in a possible bid to accommodate the 17 MLAs (including six ministers) who have gone incognito.
The party’s national coordinator for social media Gaurav Pandhi took to Twitter to take an indirect jibe at Jyotiraditya Scindia: “A traitor is a traitor and no amount of arguments & reasoning can justify treachery. Period!” Pandhi said in a tweet amid speculation that Jyotiraditya Scindia was all set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.
A traitor is a traitor and no amount of arguments & reasoning can justify treachery. Period!
— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) March 10, 2020
Baffled Pandhi also commented: “I am baffled to see the so-called ‘liberal’ journalists approving of Scindia joining BJP-RSS. This is their true color. The hate for Congress & Rahul Gandhi is so real, they don’t mind glorifying those ditching secular principles & abuse RG who is consistently fighting fascists!”
I am baffled to see the so called 'liberal' journalists approving of Scindia joining BJP-RSS. This is their true color. The hate for Congress & Rahul Gandhi is so real, they don't mind glorifying those ditching secular principles & abuse RG who is consistently fighting fascists!
— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) March 10, 2020
Meanwhile, Jitu Patwari, the Cabinet Minister of Higher Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, Madhya Pradesh, also took a dig at Jyotiraditya Scindia by drawing a 1967 ‘coup’ analogy.
एक इतिहास बना था 1857 में झाँसी की रानी लक्ष्मीबाई की मौत से, फिर एक इतिहास बना था 1967 में संविद सरकार से और आज फिर एक इतिहास बन रहा है..।
— Jitu Patwari (@jitupatwari) March 10, 2020
– तीनों में यह कहा गया है कि हाँ हम है….
The President of Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, Arun Subhash Chandra Yadav also expressed his ire on Twitter by saying that he had no regrets about the character adopted by Jyotiraditya Scindia. “Scindias supported British ideology during the freedom struggle”, today, Jyotiraditya has once again stood with the same vile ideology and saluted his ancestors, said the Congress MP.
आने वाला वक़्त अपने स्वार्थों के लिए कांग्रेस कार्यकर्ताओं के 15 वर्षों तक किए गए ईमानदारी पूर्ण जमीनी संघर्ष के बाद पाई सत्ता को अपने निजी स्वार्थों के लिए झोंक देने वाले जयचंदों – मीर जाफरों को कड़ा सबक सिखाएगा ।@INCIndia @INCMP @RahulGandhi @OfficeOfKNath
— Arun Yadav 🇮🇳 (@MPArunYadav) March 10, 2020
Moreover, Congress member Pankaj Punia also took to Twitter to express his pique over Jyotiraditya’s decision to abandon the party. He was quick to dismiss the senior party leader by calling him a ‘gaddar’ (traitor).
कुछ तो शर्म कर लेते, चलो फिर भी गद्दारी का ईनाम मिलने पर बधाई ।
— Pankaj Punia (@PankajPuniaINC) March 10, 2020
Former Union Minister and four-time parliamentarian Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned from the Congress this morning, minutes after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah at the Prime Minister’s residence in Delhi.
In his letter, which is dated March 9 and is addressed to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Jyotiraditya Scindia said: “…this is a path that has been drawing itself out over the last year”.
“While my aim and purpose remain the same as it has always been from the very beginning, to serve the people of my state and country, I believe am unable to do this anymore within this party,” he wrote.
Jyotiraditya Scindia’s move has left the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh on the brink of a dramatic collapse.
