By
LS Herdenia
BHOPAL: The selection of Kamal Nath as
Madhya Pradesh chief minister has been welcomed not only by the majority of
Congress legislators but also by and large by the people of the state. Kamal
Nath becomes chief minister with vast experience as a central minister, in
which capacity he handled a number of ministries. Besides this, credit goes to
him for bringing back Congress to power. His selection was preceded by marathon
discussions in which besides Rahul Gandhi Sonia Gandhi too participated. It
appears that Sonia Gandhi’s intervention clinched the deal in favour of Kamal
Nath.
The
selection process sometimes turned acrimonious. In the end Nath managed to ward
off the stiff challenges posed by Jyotiraditya Scindia. The race for the chief
minister’s post was a close one. After CLP authorised the Congress president Rahul
Gandhi to take a final decision Nath and Scindia headed to New Delhi late on
Wednesday night. Rahul’s residence in Delhi witnessed hectic parlays. As the
logjam continued, Sonia Gandhi along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too reached
Rahul’s bungalow to help reach a consensus. Sources claimed that Priyanka
pitched for Scindia but could not succeed.
Nath
will take oath of office on December 17 at Lal Parade Ground in the presence of
Rahul Gandhi. Sources said that the cabinet would comprise an equal number of
ministers from Scindia and Nath camps. As per the peace formula, important
portfolios would be allocated to Scindia supporters.
Originally
the Congress legislature party was to meet at 4 pm on Thursday. But it was
postponed to 6.30, then to 8.30 and finally to 10.30 pm. The timing was changed
because both Kamal Nath and Scindia were in Delhi. They reached Bhopal along
with AK Antony at 10 pm and the CLP meeting concluded past midnight. After the
meeting Kamal Nath addressed a press conference.
But
from the morning till midnight supporters of Kamal Nath and Scindia staged
their own shows. Even though icy winds brought down the temperature by several
degrees in the state capital it could not soothe the political heat generated
over the selection of the chief minister as both Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya
Scindia stuck to their guns. The political scene shifted from Bhopal to New
Delhi. As hectic deliberations continued in the national capital the supporters
of Nath and Scindia sharpened the pitch for their respective leaders at the PCC
office throughout Thursday. Wishing to see their leader as the new chief
minister, the supporters stormed the PCC office. From the very morning the
loyalists of the two leaders had gathered at the party office wielding swords
against each other. For the entire day the two groups exchanged hot words and
engaged in high decibel sloganeering.
State
media president Sobha Oza appealed to the supporters to remain calm as the
meeting was scheduled at the AICC office but in vain.
Meanwhile,
allegations and counter allegations are being hurled in the BJP while analysing
the causes of the defeat of the party and individual candidates. Some of the
defeated candidates are using unparliamentarily language while blaming rival
party men. Angry words were exchanged between former finance minister Jayant
Malaiya and rebel BJP leader Ramkrishna Kusmaria. Talking about his motive
behind contesting against Malaiya, Kusmaria said “I wanted to teach a lesson as
he had formed a caucus in the BJP. I was humiliated for 20 years in Damoh.
Besides, he did not work for the development of Damoh. So I decided to transfer
all the votes of my supporters in Damoh and Patharia to Congress and BSP
candidates respectively”. He claimed that he successfully transferred 10-15,000
votes to Congress and BSP candidates in Damoh and Patharia. After a tough fight
Jayant Malaiya lost by a margin 796 votes. Kusmaria polled only 1,133 votes.
Rahul Singh of the Congress emerged winner with 78997 votes while Malaiya polled
78199 votes.
Talking
to a group of reporters in Damoh on Wednesday Malaiya said “The party had given
every thing to Kusmaria. What else does he want after becoming MLA, MP and even
chairman of the Budndelkhand Development Authority?”
Another
former minister Jaibhan Singh Pavaiyya alleged that he lost the election
because the party men betrayed him and said he was ashamed of his party. (IPA Service)
The post High Drama Ahead Of Kamal Nath’s Selection appeared first on Newspack by India Press Agency.
