On Jyotiraditya Scindia’s exit, Digvijaya Singh says ‘hunger for power’ more important than ideology
Scindia’s exit from the Congress and the subsequent resignation of MLAs loyal to him triggered a political crisis in Madhya Pradesh.
Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Saturday hit out at Jyotiraditya Scindia over his switch to the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying that “hunger for power” is more important than credibility for some people.
Singh said he never thought that Scindia would deceive the Congress and the Gandhi family. “I never expected Maharaj [Scindia] to cross over and ditch Congress and Gandhi Family and for what?” he tweeted. “Rajya Sabha and Cabinet berth under ModiShah [Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah? Sad never expected this from him.”
I never expected Maharaj (Sorry as I myself come from a feudal background I don't address him as Jyotiraditya) to cross over and ditch Congress and Gandhi Family and for what? Rajya Sabha and Cabinet berth under ModiShah? Sad never expected this from him.
— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) March 14, 2020
“But then Hunger of Power is more important to some than Credibility and Ideology the very essence of a Healthy Democracy,” Singh continued. “I don’t agree to Sangh/BJP at all but admire their commitment to their Ideology.”
But then Hunger of Power is more important to some than Credibility and Ideology the very essence of a Healthy Democracy. I don't agree to Sangh/BJP at all but admire their commitment to their Ideology.
— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) March 14, 2020
Singh said that he stayed out of power and worked for the Congress from 2004 to 2014, even though he was offered a Cabinet spot and a Rajya Sabha seat. The veteran leader added that he will serve the party till he dies.
The BJP on Wednesday named Scindia one of its Rajya Sabha candidates from Madhya Pradesh, just hours after he joined the party.
Scindia, upset over being sidelined by the Congress, had said that the path for his exit from the party had been “drawing itself out over the last year.” After Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh in 2018, he was neither given the chief minister post nor made the party’s state chief.
Scindia’s exit from the Congress and the subsequent resignation of 22 MLAs loyal to him triggered a crisis for the Kamal-Nath led government. Before the resignations, the Congress government had a wafer-thin majority – the party had 114 MLAs of its own in the 230-seat state Assembly, while two Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs, one of the Samajwadi Party, and four independents supported it. Two seats are vacant. If the 22 resignations are accepted, the Congress will be reduced to 92 MLAs and the government would collapse.
On Friday, Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon expelled six rebel state ministers on Nath’s recommendation. Nath told the governor that the party was ready to take the floor test during the Budget Session beginning from March 16.
