In an analogy that looks politically interesting, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, on Tuesday, asked how he could be angry with (Jyotiraditya) Scindia when he doesn't even get angry with Shivraj (Singh Chouhan).
Kamal Nath was responding to questions from media persons whether he was upset with Scindia. The question was in the context of Scindia recently threatening to hit the streets if promises made in Vachan Patra (manifesto) of the Congress were not fulfilled.
Responding to questions on this warning by Scindia, Kamal Nath had recently quipped in New Delhi: “So, let him hit the streets”. This response had come following a Madhya Pradesh coordination committee meeting in New Delhi where was Scindia was also present.
Taking the matter further, Scindia had, on Sunday, repeated in Gwalior that fighting for issues of people was his duty as a public servant. He had said everyone has to be patient, but if promises were not fulfilled they would have to hit the streets.
Kamal Nath laughed aloud when he was asked on Tuesday whether he was angry with Scindia, and came up with the interesting analogy of not even being angry with former chief minister Chouhan. The former chief minister regularly targets Kamal Nath over various issues.
Speculations and rumours over differences between Kamal Nath and Scindia have been making the rounds ever since Kamal Nath took over as the MP chief minister in December 2018. Scindia, many had believed, would be made the chief of MP Congress Committee soon after Congress formed government in the state. But 14 months hence, this has not happened.
During this period, Scindia has been repeatedly making statements that were perceived as attacks on Congress government in the state, and rumours were always afloat about him and Kamal Nath not seeing eye to eye, though both the leaders have been refuting this.
The latest episode is being looked upon as an extension of the same trend by political watchers. Scindia is now among the front-runners for a Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh where three seats fall vacant in April this year. However, the fact that several other names, including that of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, being floated by state Congress leaders is making the scenario somewhat unpredictable and several political statements and moves are being linked to this.
The support for Scindia’s ‘hitting the street’ statement by state ministers, considered to be his loyalists, is also being looked upon as a part of the strategy to keep Scindia relevant in Madhya Pradesh politics
No NPR in MP, says Kamal Nath
The chief minister had reiterated on Monday that National Population Register (NPR) will not be implemented in Madhya Pradesh as of now. He said the government was still giving a thought to the matter.
On Monday, a statement released by the MP Congress and attributed to Kamal Nath had said that a gazette notification for NPR issued on December 9, 2019, by the MP government, was creating a confusion, but this notification was prior to the CAA amendment brought about on December 11, 2019, and was on the basis of year 2003 rules of the CAA of 1955. The statement had added that in any case, NPR will not be implemented in Madhya Pradesh.
The CM’s statement on Monday had come after Congress MLA Arif Masood threatened an agitation and even resignation if NPR was not rejected in the state.