Having got most of his loyal ex-MLAs settled in ministerial berths, Rajya Sabha member Jyotiraditya Scindia is now in by-poll mode, addressing two virtual rallies for BJP workers in Mungaoli and Bamori constituencies in Ashok Nagar and Guna districts in Madhya Pradesh, respectively on Monday.
State BJP president Vishnu Dutt Sharma also addressed these rallies. Scindia and Sharma are scheduled to address another virtual rally at noon on July 7 for workers in Ashok Nagar constituency, while Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will join Scindia for another virtual rally in the second half of the day for workers of Karera constituency in Shivpuri district.
Addressing the virtual rally in Mungaoli, Scindia said that he or his late father (Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia) never engaged in politics of treachery and guile and therefore have faced baseless allegations. “I have handed myself over to BJP with complete faith. This is now my family,” Scindia said.
It may be mentioned that Madhavrao Scindia had left Congress in 1996 when he formed the Madhya Pradesh Vikas Congress along with ex-chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Arjun Singh and other Congress dissidents, after being denied a Congress ticket for Lok Sabha. The nascent party, however, merged with Congress in 1998 and Madhavrao remained with Congress till his untimely death in 2001.
Scindia's comment in Monday's virtual rally comes in the backdrop that the Congress has been trying to paint Scindia and the 22 MLAs who left the party with him leading to the collapse of the government, as betrayers.
During both the rallies, Scindia launched a scathing attack on Congress and especially ex-chief minister Kamal Nath, who he said had failed to fulfil promises made to people and turned the state secretariat into a haven of corruption.
“Please go ask the people whether they want the combination of me and Shivraj ji (Chouhan) or the bantadhar (disastrous) combination of Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh. This election is about the dignity of the electorate and their development and progress. Me and Shivraj ji have both remained committed to this,” Scindia said.
He also said that there were no leaders or workers in BJP and everyone had to work unitedly as a family to defeat Congress totally.
Meanwhile, attacking Scindia on his allegations that there was no development in Mungaoli, MP Congress tweeted that Scindia was the local member of parliament for 18 years and Union minister for seven years. The local MLA was of Scindia's choice and now those 'who sold themselves' were also of Scindia group. “Who should have done Mungaoli's development. This is the reason you (Scindia) lost Lok Sabha elections,” the tweet said.
