By PTI
GWALIOR: Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jaivardhan Singh on Wednesday said factionalism in the state unit of the party ended after the exit of Jyotiraditya Scindia, who joined the BJP last year and recently made a Union minister.
Singh, son of Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh, also claimed Scindia’s entry into the BJP has led to the creation of three factions in the state BJP unit.
Scindia, a former MP from Guna, joined the BJP in March 2020.
After his exit, several MLAs also quit the party, resulting in the collapse of the then Congress government led by Kamal Nath.
Scindia was made Civil Aviation Minister in the recent expansion of the Union cabinet.
“There was groupism in the Congress till Scindia was there. Now it has ended. But Scindia’s entry in the BJP has led to the creation of three groups- ‘Shivraj BJP’, ‘Maharaj BJP’ and ‘Naraz BJP’, ‘Jaivardhan Singh, a former minister, told reporters.
He was apparently referring to BJP leaders loyal to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and those loyal to Scindia, whom his supporters address as “Maharaj” because of his royal background.
The ‘Naraz’ dig apparently meant those leaders of BJP who are not happy with Scindia joining the saffron party.
Jaivardhan Singh will visit various areas in the Gwalior and Chambal divisions which were hit by floods triggered by heavy rains earlier this month.
“Congress is now free of this disease of groupism in Madhya Pradesh,” he claimed.
He also criticised BJP leaders whose photos were printed on the bags meant for the distribution of free ration.
“When people of the region were facing hardships due to floods, members of the ruling party were celebrating ‘anna utsav’ even though this scheme was originally launched by the Congress-led UPA government,” he said.
“One day these BJP leaders will get their photos printed on food grains as well,” Jaivardhan Singh quipped.
When asked about communal tension in the Malwa region, the Raghogarh MLA said the government should take action impartially.
“There are many problems in Madhya Pradesh other than this (communal strife) such as unemployment, lack of health infrastructure to deal with COVID-19, inflation etc. The pace of vaccination needs to be expedited. The government should focus on these issues and resolve them,” he said.
Replying to a query on some BJP leaders terming his father Digvijaya Singh ‘Talibani,’ he said the way BJP leaders including Vishvash Sarang, a minister, and MLA Rameshwar Sharma are giving unnecessary statements, it reduces their seriousness.
He said conducting a caste-based Census is necessary and the government should think about it.
