New Delhi: Krishnapal Singh Yadav, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP who shot into political limelight in Madhya Pradesh by defeating Jyotiraditya Scindia in 2019, has openly criticised the erstwhile royal family, prompting the high command to summon him, and get him to issue an apology.
During an event by Krida Bharti, an affiliated body of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), in Guna last Saturday, Yadav said, “All of us know about the valour of Rani Laxmibai. We also know that had some people not betrayed her, our country would have been celebrating 175 years of Independence and not just 75 years. We would have become independent 100 years earlier.”
Without naming the Scindia family, Yadav’s dig was directed at the then ruler of Gwalior, Jayajirao Scindia, for allegedly betraying one of the icons of the freedom struggle, Rani Laxmibai, in the struggle against the British.
The same day, at another event of the Yadav community, the MP said, “I know that a few people are conspiring against me, bhoomi pujan is done without informing me... An event is organised but the local MP is not informed.” He said his name may not be mentioned on plaques at events, against the protocol, but it is etched on people’s hearts.
Soon after, BJP state president V.D. Sharma summoned Yadav to Bhopal, seeking a clarification as several of Scindia sympathisers within the party complained about his outburst, party sources told ThePrint. After the meeting, Yadav apologised for his statement and told reporters in Bhopal Sunday evening: “I did not take Scindia ji’s name. I have a good relationship with him, he is my senior. I did not intend to hurt anyone but if I did that inadvertently with my statement, I apologise.” ThePrint has seen the press statement.
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From Congress to BJP
Yadav was Scindia’s election agent when the Union minister was in the Congress. Yadav sought party ticket to contest the 2018 Mungaoli assembly bypoll but Scindia picked Brijendra Yadav instead. Yadav switched to the BJP in 2019. Pitted against Scindia, who was with the Congress then, Yadav emerged victorious, winning his first Lok Sabha elections by 1.25 lakh votes.
A year later, Scindia joined the BJP with 22 Congress MLAs, leading to the fall of the Kamal Nath government. Scindia also went on to become the Civil Aviation Minister.
This is not the first time that Yadav has attacked Scindia for allegedly creating hurdles for him in his constituency. In 2020, he wrote to BJP president J.P. Nadda alleging that the Scindia camp was targeting him. He claimed that office bearers from the Scindia faction would boycott meetings he organised.
“When ministers and leaders supporting Scindia organise a party or even a government function, they do not invite me or any dedicated party workers. Party workers are constantly neglected,” he wrote.
Why the outburst
A BJP state leader told ThePrint Monday that while there could be many reasons for Yadav’s outburst against Scindia, the most obvious was his apprehension about not getting a ticket from Guna in 2024. “The situation is different now. In 2019, the party’s priority was to find a good candidate against Scindia to defeat him. But now, with their own government in the saddle with Scindia’s help, the BJP can’t afford to rub him the wrong way. He is an important leader in state politics.”
“Secondly, with another Yadav leader, Brijendra Singh Yadav, becoming Public Health Engineering Minister in the state, his dream of becoming the party’s Yadav face is also shattered. The elevation of Ajay Yadav to the Backward Commission could be another sore point for the MP. But in politics, there is an opportunity for everyone. He needs to understand that he cannot be a Scindia,” the leader said.
A former BJP Guna district chief told ThePrint: “At least in Guna there will be a candidate who enjoys the support of Scindia…It is not clear yet but Scindia himself can contest (from here). In that situation, Yadav might just be exploring other options by attacking Scindia. One has to be naive to attack Scindia, given his clout within the party. This action gives the sense that Yadav is exploring other options (joining the Congress).”
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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