'Have seen Scindia & Rahul Gandhi having lunch': Cong MP dismisses 'Scindia ignored' claim

After Jyotiraditya Scindia exited from the Congress on Tuesday along with 22 MLAs tendering their resignations, former Congress leader Pradyot Manikya Debbarma, a cousin of Scindia and erstwhile Tripura royal, claimed that Rahul Gandhi refused to grant appointment to Scindia for months. Responding to this, MP Manickam Tagore who was recently suspended from the Lok Sabha said that Rahul Gandhi has been "very accessible" to all leaders and Pradyot should refrain from making such comments.

'He could not fight the ideological battle'

The Member of Parliament also added that Scindia has the privilege of being a "good friend" of Rahul Gandhi and he has seen Scindia going and having lunch with Rahul Gandhi. Speaking to ANI on Wednesday he said, "It's the mentality of the Rajas and Maharajas. They will always find fault with Prajas (People). That is what has been happening. Rahul Ji has been accessible to all the leaders very closely and Scindia has had the privilege of being a good friend of him and they have been good friends and now he could not fight the ideological battle. So that is why he has surrendered himself to Shah and Modi."

He added, "It is unfortunate that people like Pradyot who were there within the party and been given in this young age the Presidentship of the Tripura Congress Committee should not speak out of context. Rahul Gandhi has given him time. Even I have seen Scindia going and having lunch with Rahul Ji separately as friends. Pradyot should not indulge in such kind of things. He has resigned from the party. He should refrain from making such comments and it shows his Maharaja attitude."

In a massive setback for the Congress, Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the Congress, and 22 MLAs loyal to him resigned in Madhya Pradesh, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government to the brink of collapse. The surprise development on Tuesday morning came soon after Jyotiraditya Scindia's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

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Before the resignations tendered by 22 Congress MLAs, Chief Minister Kamal Nath's government had 120 MLAs - just four over the majority mark of 115 in the 228-member Assembly. If the resignation of the 22 MLAs is accepted, the majority mark will be 104; the BJP will have 107 and the Congress 92. When the Assembly session resumes on 16 March, the BJP may move the no-confidence motion, following which a floor test will be held. The Speaker is, however, yet to respond to the mass resignation.

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WATCH | A relaxed Rahul Gandhi leaves plush Delhi restaurant on evening of Scindia's exit

(With agency inputs)