Bhopal: The “challenging” assignment given to Jyotiraditya Scindia after his appointment as AICC general secretary to revive fortunes of Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections may have been “hyped”. His supporters do not seem to be convinced of his elevation in the party.
In fact, the development has come as a bolt from the blue for his camp. His supporters were expecting a decisive move by Mr Scindia to counter “machinations” of his rival factions to cut him down to size in the party and marginalise him in state politics.
“It was least expected by us, at least at this juncture. It has, no doubt, dealt a jolt to Mr Scindia’s ambition to become chief minister of MP,” one of his close aides has privately confessed before this newspaper unwilling to be identified for obvious reasons.
Mr Scindia, who had staked claim to the post of chief minister after Congress returned to power in MP in November Assembly elections by flaunting strength of party MLAs belonging to his camp, apparently got disheartened when Kamal Nath with the backing of old warhorse Digvijay Singh, was crowned with the coveted job.
The charismatic leader had helped party sweep Gwalior-Chambal region, considered his bastion, in the polls by getting 26 out of 31 Assembly seats in the belt.
Congress won power in MP in a cliffhanger battle with BJP in the last Assembly polls by securing 114 out of total 230 seats.
The fractured mandate thrown by the polls had forced Congress to form government in the state with outside support of one Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA, two Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislators and four Independents.
Mr Scindia’s lack of experience to ensure stability to a “minority” government has been cited as the reason by the party to choose Mr Nath over him for the post, much to chagrin of his followers. Later, Mr Scindia’s camp felt that he was given a raw deal in the ministry formation and distribution of portfolios among the ministers by chief minister Kamal Nath.
His demand for finance and home portfolios to his loyalist MLAs was shot down by the chief minister who got the two plum departments to his two protégés, Tarun Bhanot and Bala Bachhan, respectively.
Besides, Mr Digvijay Singh, considered his arch rival in the party, had appeared to have a greater say in ministry formation as well as portfolio distribution, by being able to not only induct his chosen men in the ministry but also ensure important portfolios went to them, particularly his son Jaivardhan Singh (urban development) and his nephew Priyabrat Singh (energy).
On the other hand, hardly half-a-dozen MLAs belonging to Mr Scindia camp could make it to the Kamal Nath ministry.
Pressure was mounting on Mr Scindia from his followers to give more representation to his camp in the state ministry to “keep his flock together”.
Mr Scindia was apprehensive that he would not be able to hold his followers to his camp for long if he failed to meet their aspirations. His fear was not unfounded.
One of his close aides Mr K.C. Singh, sitting MLA, had reportedly broken away from his camp and was ready to switch his loyalty to the chief minister.
“Besides, his camp sensed a concerted attempt by his rivals to turn his loyalist MLAs against him by ignoring him and thus woo them to their sides,” a senior Congress leader said requesting anonymity, adding that chief minister Mr Nath is surely breathing easy after Mr Scindia’s shift to Uttar Pradesh.
Amid growing restlessness in his camp, Mr Scindia had decided to pay a “sudden and surprise” visit to former chief minister and BJP national vice-president Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s official residence here last fortnight for a “courtesy visit”, causing a flutter in Congress.
The “unscheduled and unexpected” meeting between the political rivals had taken by surprise even his rival factional leaders in Congress who interpreted his move as an arm-twisting tactic to force the party leadership to restore his “rightful position” and say in the state government as well as in the party.
They seemingly sensed a brewing trouble in the party and brought it to the notice of the central party leadership.
Exactly a couple of days later, Mr Scindia was given the Uttar Pradesh assignment, which obviously will keep him out of state politics for quite a long time.
