Even as senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath continues to keep the Congress on tenterhooks on his possible crossover to the saffron side, another senior Congress leader from MP, Digvijaya Singh, exuded confidence that Nath will never leave the party.
Singh claimed that he is in constant touch with Nath and that the Congress leadership is having discussions with him.
"A person like him, who started with Congress, whom we all considered to be the third son of Indira Gandhi, has always supported Congress and has been a pillar of the Congress party," ANI quoted Singh as saying.
Singh noted that Nath was the cabinet minister in the Centre, state Congress committee president, and chief minister and said, "He got all the posts. I don't think he will leave the party."
Meanwhile, there are indications that if Nath switches over to the saffron side, more Congress leaders from Madhya Pradesh may follow suit.
Former Congress MLA from the state, Deepak Saxena, said the people in his constituency want Nath to join the BJP so that development works will be done in the Chhindwara. "The way he (Kamal Nath) has been removed from his post, there is a group of 11 senior Congress members, we all discussed and decided that if we are neglected like this, then it would be better to go to BJP and get the work done. I will also go," ANI quoted Saxena as saying.
According to media reports, the Congress leadership in the state is making every effort to keep its flock together and prevent a massive exodus ahead of the general elections. State Congress chief Jitu Patwari, leader of opposition in the assembly Umang Singha and others are speaking to the MLAs, especially those who are close to Nath and his son Nakul Nath, to address their grievances, NDTV reported.
Nath, who has been in Delhi since Saturday, refused to comment on the reports of a possible crossover, saying "If there would be any such thing, I would inform you (reporters) first."
When a reporter asked if he was not denying a possible switch, Nath said, "It is not about denying, you are saying this, you people are getting excited. I am not getting excited, this side or that side, but if there would be any such thing, I would inform you first."
