Digvijaya and Kamal Nath make up: ‘Only differences of opinion, not of the heart’

The former CM said the 50-year relationship he shared with Nath has seen many ups and downs.

“Kamal Nath ji and I have had a family relationship for nearly 50 years. In our political lives, there have been ups and downs. It is only natural. Our entire political journey has been within the Congress, united in fighting the ideological battle, and we will continue to do so in the future as well. There have been small differences of opinion, but never differences of heart,” he said.

The accusations

In a recent interview with a YouTube channel “MP Tak”, Digvijaya said that Scindia had left the Congress to join the BJP after then CM Nath did not act on his “wish list”.

Digvijaya claimed that in early 2020, the three leaders had met at the residence of a prominent industrialist to resolve their differences so that the Congress government at the time could remain stable.

During that meeting, Digvijaya claimed, he handed Nath a “joint wish list” along with Scindia of pending issues concerning the Gwalior-Chambal region for resolution by the government, but it remained “unresolved”. The Gwalior-Chambal region is a Scindia stronghold.

The Nath government was eventually brought down by Scindia’s rebellion, who brought 22 of his loyalist MLAs (including six ministers) with him into the BJP fold.

Hitting back at Digvijaya, Nath said there was “no point in digging up old matters”. “However, it is true that apart from his personal ambition, Jyotiraditya Scindia felt that the government was being run by Digvijaya Singh. Due to this resentment, he got the Congress MLAs to break away, toppling the government,” Nath said in an X post in Hindi.

After the 2023 state Assembly polls swept by the BJP, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav took over the reins of its government, following which Nath and Digvijaya have been keeping a low profile. Digivijaya continues to share a cordial relationship with Scindia.

While attempting to revamp the state unit, the Congress leadership recently appointed the new District Congress Committee (DCC) chiefs in the state, naming Digvijaya’s son and ex-minister Jaivardhan as Guna’s DCC president.

The two veterans, both loyalists of the Gandhi family, have also supported each other at various points, including when Digvijaya served as CM in the early 1990s.

During the 2018 Assembly elections, the two leaders were said to have teamed up to sideline Scindia, ensuring that Nath was picked as CM.