BHOPAL: Congress veteran and former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath on Thursday claimed that the 'G-23' group had never demanded that a leader from outside the Gandhi family head the party.
What the dissidents group has been demanding is reforms in the party and organisational polls and the latter has been met as elections will be held within three months, Nath told media persons.
Asked about the demand that a non-Gandhi family member should head the Congress, Nath said, "Party elections are going to be held. This G-23 group is very close to me. They have been my colleagues for years. They have never made any such demand. In fact, all their demands have already been met. They have asked for party elections and they are going to be held. Polls can’t be held without membership, so that process is also going on and elections will be held in three months."
Those sitting in cities like Delhi, Bhopal, Mumbai and Bangalore and talking about the country do not understand "towns and villages," he further said. Nath also attacked the BJP governments at the Centre and in MP over inflation. While the price of every other commodity is increasing, that of liquor has fallen, he said. "Milk is getting costlier while liquor is becoming cheaper," he said.
"Modiji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) used to say big things about inflation in 2013-14 and Shivraj (MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan) used to ride bicycle in protest (against fuel price rise). They are quiet on the issue now," Nath said.
Chouhan has now started a "factory of announcements and assurances", he added. The cost of fertilizer and seeds has increased compared to four years ago, Nath said, adding that farmers, the youth and small traders are all in trouble and hence Congress is staging protests "to open the government’s eyes and ears as the government’s mouth is open but eyes and ears are shut".
(With agency inputs)