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Jyotiraditya Scindia joins BJP, says Congress not the party it used to be

Jyotiraditya Scindia had Tuesday resigned from primary membership of Congress, saying it's a path that has been drawing itself out over the last year.

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New Delhi: Former Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the BJP Wednesday in the presence of party national president J.P. Nadda and other leaders at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

Scindia was expected to join the BJP at 12.30 pm, but the event was postponed until 2.55 reportedly due to “Raahu Kaal (inauspicious moment)”.

“I would like to thank J.P. Nadda ji, PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah that they invited me to their family and gave me a place in it,” the former Guna MP said.

Speaking to the media after joining the BJP, Scindia said there had been two life-changing events for him — “one, the day I lost my father and the second, yesterday when I decided to choose a new path for my life”.

Scindia said the Congress is not anymore the party that it was earlier.

“I can say with confidence that the aim of public service is not being fulfilled by that party (Congress). Besides this, the present condition of the party indicates that it is not what it used to be.”

Quitting Congress

Scindia had early Tuesday — on the 75th birth anniversary of his father and late Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia — resigned from the primary membership of the Congress.

In his letter to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, Scindia wrote,”…this is a path that has been drawing itself out over the last year.”

“While my aim and purpose remain the same as it has always been from the very beginning, to serve the people of my state and country, I believe I am unable to do this anymore within this party,” he wrote.

Pointing out the need to “reflect” and “realise” the aspiration of “my people and my workers”, he said, “…I believe it is best that I now look ahead at a fresh start,” he wrote in a letter.

The Congress expelled Scindia moments after his letter to Sonia, with party general secretary K.C. Venugopal issuing a statement that the interim Congress president has approved the expulsion with immediate effect for “anti-party activities”.

Twenty-one Congress MLAs followed suit and tendered their resignation, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath-led Madhya Pradesh government to the brink of collapse.

Former Madhya Pradesh home minister and BJP leader Bhupendra Singh said the number of resignations from Congress MLAs could go up to 30.

Scindia had earlier met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Home Minister Amit Shah Tuesday morning, leading to speculations that he could quit the Congress.


Also read: Those asking if BJP will suit Jyotiraditya Scindia are barking up the wrong tree. This is why


Congress criticised move

His decision to resign evoked sharp criticism from the Congress with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot saying on Twitter that people like Scindia cannot thrive without power and the sooner they leave the better it is.

Speaking to news agency PTI, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said ideology did not matter to Scindia, and “political convenience” and “personal ambition” played a major part in his decision.

Chowdhury alleged that some sort of “allurement and enticement” offered by the BJP convinced Scindia for switching over from the Congress. “Now he has become the asset of the BJP party.”

Chowdhury said Scindia had been “nurtured by the party over the years”, but now “the situation had come to such a pass that he found it more convenient to switch over to the other party”.

The BJP camp has meanwhile been quite ecstatic, with BJP leader and aunt Yashodhara Scindia expressing happiness at the “ghar wapsi”.

Scindia had been miffed with the Congress central leadership for not acceding to his demand for a Rajya Sabha seat. He is now reportedly set to enter the Upper House as a BJP member.

The Gwalior royal’s grandmother, Vijaya Raje Scindia, was a leader of the Jana Sangh, the BJP’s precursor. His father Madhavrao Scindia had also started out as a Jana Sangh leader before moving to the Congress.


Also read: Inside story of how Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi forced Jyotiraditya Scindia to dump Congress


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3 COMMENTS

  1. News in India about religion, political infighting, dynasty, celebratory etc are so stupid it reflects Indian mass IQ. It is getting worse like porno watching of Indians. Sad tale of another reason of no economic growth in the country.

  2. So far, Jyotiraditya Scindia was the crutch on which the Wayanad MP walked or talked. He was always next to and behind him to prevent gaffes, and supply sentences. Now, who will help the 50 years old youth leader?

  3. Politicians in India don’t follow any ideology, they follow opportunity
    BJP alliance with Mehbuba Mufti’s party shows that
    Alliance of Siva Sena with Congress shows it too
    Scindia was no different than Hemanta Biswasharma.
    Kejriwal’s tirtha yatra scheme is also in line with this

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