In touch with parties for a possible MP pact: Jyotiraditya Scindia

New Delhi: Unfazed by the Bahujan Samaj Party’s decision to not align with the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said Sunday that the party was “still in the driver’s seat” and was in touch with all “possible partners” in the poll-bound state.

Mr Scindia, who is spearheading the Congress’ campaign in Madhya Pradesh, also said the entire state leadership and party cadre was “working cohesively” to chart out the party’s plan to dislodge the BJP government after “14 years of misrule”.

Asked if the BSP could cut into the Congress’ voteshare, he told PTI in an interview: “I don’t think so. Obviously, the alliance would have had its own benefits, but as things stand today, support for the Congress is running deep in Madhya Pradesh. The workers are motivated and the people are looking to us for change. So, we are definitely still in the driver’s seat.”

Replying to a query about a possible tieup with the Samajwadi Party and the Gondwana Gantantra Party after the BSP’s decision to not align with the Congress in the state, Mr Scindia said: “We are in touch with all possible partners — our ultimate goal is to beat the BJP. We are not currently ruling out the possibility of an alliance.”

His remarks come days after BSP chief Mayawati said her party will not forge an alliance with the Congress “at any cost” for the coming Assembly polls in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. However, he said the general election next year will be a “different ball game altogether” and if state alliances don’t work out, the possibilities still exist for a coalition in 2019.

Mr Scindia said the party’s “driving mantra” is “waqt hai badlaav ka” (it is time for a change), and added that this is “not a slogan, this is a reality, a commitment to change”.

“We are not fighting this election on the Modi or Shivraj factor but the ‘people factor’. The people of Madhya Pradesh have suffered from BJP rule for 14 years. Everywhere we look, the people are exasperated and angry,” the MP from Guna said.

Talking about the issues that the Congress will raise during the campaign, Mr Scindia said the party will take the fight to the streets. “We are focusing on some key issues — farmer distress across the state, the complete breakdown of law and order, especially rising cases of crimes against women, unemployment, and massive corruption, be it Vyapam, e-tender or sand-mining.”

The state will go to the polls on November 28 and the counting of votes will be held on December 11.

The Congress has launched an aggressive campaign in Madhya Pradesh with party chief Rahul Gandhi visiting the state frequently. Mr Gandhi will be in the state on Monday and will address several public meetings, and take part in a roadshow in Gwalior.

Asked what was different internally in the Congress organisation as compared to the past three elections and whether differences between senior leaders had been sorted out, Mr Scindia said the party was united and there were regular meetings on key matters, including on overhauling the organisation, reviving and rejuvenating party cadres and strengthening the system at the district and block level.

“We understand that to fight the BJP, we will have to go down to the booth level and fight. Under Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s uniting leadership, we are working as a single INC unit, coming together under the umbrella of a common vision and mission for the development of Madhya Pradesh,” the 47-year-old leader said. On opinion polls putting the Congress marginally ahead of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Mr Scindia said he believes his party is “in the lead”.