Digvijaya, Kamal Nath play blame game as Scindia’s 2020 revolt returns to haunt Congress

Digvijaya claimed that in early 2020, he, Nath, and Scindia had met at the residence of a prominent industrialist to resolve their differences that posed a threat to the Congress government.

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

“There was an industrialist who had good relations with both (Nath and Scindia), I went to him and told him the government will fall because of their fight… There was then a dinner at his (industrialist) house, I was also there. I tried to solve the issue. But the issues which were decided, were not followed though,” Digvijaya said in the interview.

He also said a majority of the then Congress MLAs (114 in the 230-member House) supported Nath’s bid for chief ministership, but Scindia’s wish for allocation of some important portfolios to his loyalists was accepted by the party leadership, which ensured smooth functioning of the Nath government for the first year since the party’s narrow win in the November 2018 Assembly polls.

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

Digvijaya said the government’s fall “would not have happened” if Scindia’s concerns would have been addressed. He however also said he did not anticipate that Scindia would switch to the BJP.

Hitting back, Nath, 78, 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.

When Scindia was asked by the media about Digvijaya’s claims, he refused to comment, saying “I will not comment on the past”.

State Congress president Jitu Patwari downplayed the remarks of both Digvijaya and Nath, saying that they have affection for each other and have “their own chemistry”. “They know the art to get people discuss issues. So let’s not worry about what wish list was there,” he said.

Digvijaya also created ripples in state political circles recently when he joined a school inauguration event attended by Scindia. On seeing Digvijaya seated among the audience, Scindia, who was seated on the dais, got down, held his hand and escorted him to the stage.

When asked about this development, Digvijaya downplayed it, saying he liked to sit among the audience rather than taking the stage.

Despite their affiliation to rival parties, both Digvijaya and Scindia have maintained cordial ties with each other. Digvjaya has often spoken about how the Congress had inducted Scindia’s father Madhavrao Scindia into the party fold, where he rose to become a party stalwart. He has also claimed that in the wake of Madhavrao’s death in an air crash in September 2001, he gave due respect and assistance to Jyotiraditya. Although not part of Scindia’s Guna Lok Sabha constituency, Digvijaya’s home turf Raghogarh falls in Guna district.

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. Even Scindia seemed to have maintained a distance from the state BJP politics.

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.

“Digvijaya has slowly helped his loyalists get appointed in key positions in the Congress under Jitu Patwari’s leadership. There is no alternative in Gwalior-Chambal. Digvijaya knows Congress leaders across the state and continues to have influence over the party,” said a Digvijaya loyalist.

The same is true for Nath too, say his followers, adding that he has also managed to get his loyalists placed in key party positions. “Nath is still influential in Mahakoshal region and has vast financial resources to help the party. He cannot be retired arbitrarily. Recently, all senior leaders arrived in Chhindwara to protest again the fertiliser shortage, where Nakul (Kamal Nath’s son and ex-MP), made his first appearance after months,” said a Nath aide.

Scindia, who enjoys a good relationship with CM Mohan Yadav, had recently visited Guna and other flood-affected regions of the Gwalior-Chambal region.

“Scindia has been lobbying among senior central ministers to help develop Gwalior, Shivpuri and Guna. He has been trying to bring various development projects to the region, ranging from drainage and sanitation works to bus terminals and airports, to various industries. He also turns up in the region during key festivals to keep in touch with the public. He is looking towards the future and not the past,” said a Scindia loyalist.