Congress leader Kamal Nath
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: The Congress is staring at another high-profile exit from the party with veteran leader and Gandhi family loyalist Kamal Nath reaching the national capital, amid intense speculation that he is joining the BJP along with his son and MP Nakul Nath.
The strongest hint of Chhindwara strongman came as Nakul omitted reference to Congress on his social media handles. Kamal Nath is said to have the support of at least 12 out of 66 MLAs. In 2020, his bete noir Jyotiraditya Scindia had quit the party, leading to his government’s fall after Scindia loyalists switched sides.
If he takes the saffron plunge, Kamal Nath will be the second former chief minister to quit the party this month after Ashok Chavan joined the BJP on February 13 and is all set to enter the Rajya Sabha.
Kamal Nath told reporters, "If there would be any such thing, I would inform you first." Asked if he was denying the switch, he added, "It is not about denying, you are saying this, you people are getting excited. I am not getting excited, this side or that side."
However, BJP Yuva Morcha National Secretary Tajinder Bagga claimed on 'X', "News of Kamal Nath joining BJP is fake."
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari, who succeeded Kamal Nath as state chief, told reporters in Bhopal that the news of the former Chief Minister leaving the party is "baseless".
"For the first time when Kamal Nath fought elections, Indira Gandhi had said that Kamal Nath is her third son. In the 45 years of his political journey, in both our good times and bad times, he has been working with the Congress. I still remember when Scindia toppled the Congress government in MP, all the Congress workers stood with Kamal Nath's leadership...Can you imagine Indira Gandhi's third son leaving Congress?"
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said, "I spoke to Kamal Nath at 10.30 pm yesterday...A person who started his political journey and stood with the Nehru-Gandhi family when Indira Gandhi was sent to jail by the Janata Party, do you think such a person will ever leave Congress and the Gandhi family?"
Kamal Nath had faced the ire of Congress leadership after the Assembly election debacle in Madhya Pradesh where it hoped to unseat the BJP from power. Kamal Nath was held responsible for the shortcomings in the campaign as well as faced criticism for 'one-upmanship' and not taking leaders along. He was also accused of shunting out election strategist Sunil Kanugolu's team from working for the party in the state.
He is also said to be miffed with the leadership for not giving him the Rajya Sabha seat, which he sought. The leadership further appointed Patwari after he refused to stand down as state unit chief.