Published 17:48 IST, October 15th 2020
MP bypolls: Congress releases 'Vachan Patra', Rahul Gandhi & Digvijaya Singh not featured
In a bizarre development, Congress has released a 'Vachan Patra' for upcoming Madhya Pradesh bypolls, but without featuring Rahul Gandhi and Digvijaya Singh
In a bizarre development, Congress has released a 'Vachan Patra' for upcoming Madhya Pradesh bypolls, but without featuring top leaders Rahul Gandhi and Digvijaya Singh. Local reports on Thursday, revealed that the document featured Kamal Nath, Sonia Gandhi and Indira Gandhi - but not Rahul Gandhi who had been featured in 2018. The State assembly's 28 seats will go to by-polls on November 3 and counting on November 10.
Congress' vachan patra' doesn't feature Rahul & Digvijay
Commenting on the development, Congress Leader Manak Agarwal said that several election have been won under Rahul Gandhi and Digvijay Singh and hence they must be featured. Meanwhile, BJP cabinet minister Gopal Bhargava said that the duo had not been featured as they 'would harm the Congress' chances'. He added that Congress knows that the duo will only attack the Centre to remain in front.
BJP lambasts Congress
Earlier on Wednesday, BJP state General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya claimed that the Congress duo - Kamal Nath-Digvijay Singh could not attract more than 100 people to last Vidhan Sabha rallies. Addressing a poll rally at MP's Sanvare district where Health minister Tulsi Silawat (a Scindia loyalist) was contesting, Vijaywargiya took a shot at the duo saying that 'they had made false promises of farm loan waiver'. Vijaywargiya, who is known to be a rival of Congress-turned-BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, made a snide comment saying 'Scindia who is royal made waiver promises after being told by them'. Congress has not been as vociferous in its by-poll campaigning as BJP.
Madhya Pradesh crisis & bypolls
The crisis in the Kamal Nath government started when Congress alleged BJP of poaching 4 MLAs - two of which returned to Kamal Nath's folds. Soon, 22 MLAs including 6 cabinet ministers - loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia - quit the party, reducing the Congress to a minority government with 92 MLAs. Following this, Scindia resigned from Congress and then joined the BJP. After Nath stepped down as CM and the Madhya Pradesh Speaker accepted all 22 MLAs' resignation, all of them promptly joined BJP. Three more Congress MLAs have joined BJP since then - vacating 27 seats in the Assembly
Updated 17:48 IST, October 15th 2020