New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath called on interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday amid an internal tussle for the post of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief. The development comes amid reports that former Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia has given an ultimatum to the party to appoint him head of the PCC or he would have to “look for other options".
Political circles are abuzz with speculation that Scindia is in touch with BJP leaders and he could switch parties unless he is made the PCC chief.
Earlier, the name of senior Congress leader and former leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ajay Singh was doing the rounds for the post of state party chief.
However, Scindia’s supporters have been openly pitching for him in the state. “It is understandable that leaders in Maharashtra want a young, dedicated and popular leader like Maharaj (Scindia), but we won’t be satisfied unless he is handed the key responsibility in Madhya Pradesh," said Imarti Devi, a minister and staunch Scindia loyalist. Some of his supporters have even threatened to resign, while others have staged demonstrations, one such protest being held in Jabalpur, over their demand.
It was believed that Nath, who became the chief minister in December, would vacate the post of state unit chief but since the Lok Sabha polls were just around the corner, he continued with both posts.
Though hectic parleys continued, Scindia was not named deputy chief minister as was demanded by his supporters. The former MP is of the opinion that he should be “compensated" for not challenging the leadership and must get his due.
The Congress, sensing a rebellion in the ranks, appointed him chairman of the screening committee for the upcoming assembly polls in Maharashtra but that does not seem to have mollified Scindia.
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