Published 13:09 IST, March 10th 2020
Why Scindia calls resignation from Congress a 'path drawing itself-out over the last year'
After 19 years of serving in the Congress, Jyotiraditya Scindia has finally resigned after sending speculations coursing through the political landscape
After 19 years of serving in the Congress party, former MP from Guna Jyotiraditya Scindia has finally resigned after sending speculations coursing through the political landscape for the past few days. In his letter addressed to Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi, Scindia has called his resignation "a path that has been drawing itself-out over the last year."
Signs that a resignation was coming were seemingly evident through reports of factionalism within the Congress leadership in Madhya Pradesh which had only but escalated in the last one year. Scindia, who lost from family stronghold Guna in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, had been the target of speculation ever since. Scindia had also been miffed about not being elected CM and not being elected as Madhya Pradesh Congress chief - both of which were given to Kamal Nath.
Last year, the leader had seemingly sent a message to the grand old party after he changed his bio on Twitter and purged any mentions of Congress from his personal handle.
With the start of the new decade, the old feud and rivalry between Scindia and Nath witnessed an attempt to thaw, on the occasion of Jyotiraditya Scindia's birthday, when taking to his official Twitter handle Kamal Nath called the former Madhya Pradesh MP his 'family member' and, stated that he wished for God to provide Jyotiraditya Scindia with a bright future, good health, and longevity.
However soon after Scindia in an interview had passed a slight meant for Kamal Nath saying 'some find it difficult to give up the chair.'
Last month the Congress party had witnessed a trade of barbs between Nath after the former addressed the guest teachers in MP and said that he would be their "shield and sword" if all promises of the Congress' manifesto are not fulfilled. "If all promises in the manifesto are not fulfilled, do not think you are alone. Scindia will also hit the streets with you," he had said.
Kamal Nath had also not minced words while responding to Scindia's remark and had retorted, "Toh utar jayein" (Let him hit the streets if he wants to).
His resignation comes at a time when the Kamal Nath-led Madhya Pradesh government appears to be on the brink, with the MLAs who are loyal to Scindia apparently ready to resign, their numbers posing a fatal threat to the maintainability of the Congress government in the state.
Updated 13:17 IST, March 10th 2020