Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, whose decade-long rule was brought to an end by a campaign that focused solely on lack of basic amenities in the state, today found his voice on the Floor of the Assembly.In his first speech from the Opposition benches after losing power in 2004, Singh took potshots at the BJP, which has been a divided house in the state. He criticised the policies of the three BJP CMs, whom he called Didi (Uma Bharati), Dada (Babulal Gaur) and Bhaiyya (Shivraj Singh Chouhan), the state has seen in less than two years.Chouhan was present in the House when Singh launched his attack. Referring to Bharati’s ‘‘Main Asli BJP hoon’’ claim, Singh said the party was caught in a ‘‘real versus fake’’ tussle, while political uncertainty prevailed in the state, with CMs coming and going. Singh also accused the government of taking credit for the policies and projects initiated during his period.In a speech lasting more than 100 minutes, Singh repeatedly referred to Uma Bharati and said he sympathised with her because she was first exploited by the BJP and later sacked.Singh also tried to drive a wedge into the divided BJP by holding a section responsible for the recent anti-Christian violence and attempts to whip up communal frenzy. ‘‘The people who called you ‘‘baccha chor’’ (child-lifter) want to defame your government by creating disturbances,’’ he said apparently hinting at Bharati, who had accused the BJP of stealing her ‘‘baby’’ (government).While criticising moral policing by Bajrang Dal, Singh, in lighter vein, said Speaker Ishwardas Rohani would have been in trouble had the Dal activists spotted him offering a rose to the leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi. In a friendly gesture on Valentine’s Day, Rohani is said to have offered a rose to Devi.Singh’s speech also mentioned corruption. He alleged that money was changing hands in the transfer of bureaucrats and police officials in the state. ‘‘Why punish bureaucrats for alleged scams during our regime? Punish the Chief Minister. Bureaucrats only carry out policies of the government of the day,’’ he said referring to the inter-corporate deposit scam. He also dared the Chief Minister and others to table in the Assembly details of their movable and immovable property as had been done by the Congress in its days of rule in MP.He concluded his speech with a warning to Chouhan who will face the electorate shortly ‘‘Agar didi ne kamar kas li to is pariksha me Pappu pas nahi hoga.’’ (If Didi (Bharati) decides to play spoilsport, Pappu (Chouhan) will not get through). This, after he had promised Chouhan ‘‘free consultancy’’ drawing on his 10-year experience as the CM. In the House earlier, BJP’s Kailash Chavla, blamed Singh and the 10-year rule of the Congress for all the ills plaguing the state.
