A day after Madhya Pradesh BJP chief VD Sharma claimed that there were Congress leaders upset with the party’s decisions.
Former chief minister Kamal Nath’s son Nakul Nath allegedly dropped Congress from his bio on social media. Nakul Nath’s move has added fuel to rumours of him and father Kamal Nath defecting to the BJP, which have been doing the rounds for the last few days.
The veteran Congress leader, however, said that his “son never had Congress in his bio”.
Kamal Nath is in New Delhi and speculation is rife that he will hold meetings with BJP leaders later today. Sources have that it is yet to be decided whether Kamal Nath will join the BJP or stop at quitting the Congress. Nakul Nath, however, is likely to get the BJP ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Chhindwara and the modalities of him joining the party are being worked out.
The veteran Congress leader though said that if he was making a switch, he would inform the media first.
Meanwhile, sources close to Kamal Nath have that even though he was yet to resign from the Congress, he was”unhappy with what was happening” in the party. Citing that people in Chhindwara – a constituency he represented as an MP for nine terms – want him to join the BJP to fast-track development, the senior Congress leader has said that the matter is under his consideration, the sources said.
In a major blow to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, several leaders switched sides earlier this week. Former MLA Dinesh Ahirwar and Congress District President from Vidisha Rakesh Katare joined the BJP on February 12.
BJP state president VD Sharma yesterday said that the party’s doors are open for other senior Congress leaders who are upset with the party rejecting the invitation for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple.
When asked about speculations of Kamal Nath joining the BJP, VD Sharma said, “So today I am telling you the environment, we have kept our doors open because there are people in Congress who feel that Congress boycotts Lord Ram, India has Ram in its heart. When Congress insults him, then there are people who are pained by this, who are upset, and they should get a chance.”
“If those whose names you are taking have pain in their hearts, then they are also welcome,” Mr Sharma said while addressing a press conference in Bhopal on Friday.
Earlier this month Nakul Nath, the lone Lok Sabha Congress MP from Madhya Pradesh, declared himself as the Congress candidate from Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat. No official announcement has been made by the party yet.
“This time too, I will be your candidate for Lok Sabha elections. Rumours are going around whether Kamal Nath or Nakul Nath would contest the election, I would like to make it clear that Kamal Nath won’t contest the election, I will,” said Nakul Nath as he was addressing a gathering.
Chhindwara has long been a stronghold for Kamal Nath, who held the seat for nine consecutive terms. In the 2019 elections, despite the BJP’s victory in the other 28 seats in the state, Nakul Nath managed to secure a win from Chhindwara.