Bhopal: The feud brewing in the Madhya Pradesh Congress resurfaced once again after Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Saturday said senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia should take to the streets, if he so desired, against the failure of the state government to fulfill its promises made in the election manifesto.
Nath made the comment when reporters sought his response to Scindia's statement that he would launch a protest if promises made in the party manifesto are not implemented.
"'Toh utar jayein' (so let him do it)," said Nath, days after the All India Congress Committee (AICC) formed a committee for better coordination among its top leaders in the state.
Before this, Nath said he had a positive meeting with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and had discussed urban and rural local body polls. He had also spoken to Gandhi on the reconstitution of the party organisation in MP.
To a question on coordination between the state government and the party organisation, Nath said that he was the party state president and coordination fell under his purview.
A meeting of the MP Congress committee coordination committee took place at Nath's residence in New Delhi on Saturday in the presence of senior leaders such as Deepak Babria, Arun Yadav and minister Jitu Patwari.
The state government is struggling to fulfill its promise of farm loan waiver up to Rs 2 lakh. It needs around Rs 50,000 crore to implement the waiver scheme, according to officials.
Senior party functionary Digvijaya Singh, meanwhile, tried to dispel rumours of the supposed rift, saying Nath is doing his best to fulfill all the manifesto promises.
"All Congress leaders are together. 'Vachan patra' (manifesto) is meant for five years and Kamal Nath is making all effort to fulfill the promises. All of us are together," said the Rajya Sabha MP.
Meanwhile, guest teachers have been on protest in the state demanding regularisation of services and better pay. Opposition leaders as well as Scindia and his faction of Congress functionaries have been critical of the administration over a range of issues.
While addressing a rally at Kudila village on Thursday, Scindia said, "The manifesto is our sacred text. Have patience. If all the promises are not fulfilled, do not think you all are alone. Jyotiraditya Scindia will also hit the streets along with you."
"Our turn will come, I assure you. Even if it does not come, I will become your shield and sword," he had told the crowd.
"I want to tell the guest teachers. I heard your demand before Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. I want to assure you that your demand already stands underlined in our party's government's manifesto," he had added.
Scindia has reportedly been sulking since being ignored for the top job in the state after the Assembly elections in December 2018. He also lost his parliamentary seat from Guna in the Lok Sabha elections last May. Even elections to the state Congress president’s post, which the former royal of Gwalior has been eyeing, is yet to take place.
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