Congress dismisses Kamal Nath's BJP switch speculation, asserts he will participate in Nyay Yatra
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday dismissed as "misinformation" the speculation over party leader Kamal Nath's possible switch to the BJP and asserted that the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister will participate in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the state.
The assertion by Congress general secretary in charge of Madhya Pradesh, Jitendra Singh, came amid speculation that Kamal Nath and his son, Nakul Nath, a Lok Sabha MP, may cross over to the ruling BJP.
"Kamal Nath ji is a senior leader of our party. All these speculations have been made by the BJP and the media. I spoke to him yesterday and the day before yesterday, and we discussed the preparations for the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra," Singh told reporters at the Congress headquarters here.
"I am going to Bhopal tomorrow, and meetings are taking place with MLAs, various committees, and MPs. Kamal Nath ji will also join those meetings and his suggestions for the yatra's passage will be taken note of. Kamal Nath will prominently participate in the Yatra in Madhya Pradesh," the Congress general secretary said.
Pressed further about the speculation that Nath and his son may cross over to the BJP, Singh reiterated that "all this is speculation" and alleged that the BJP always attempts to "spread wrong news and misinformation."
He said Kamal Nath will "100 per cent" participate in the Nyay Yatra when it enters the state later this month. "The preparations for the yatra are on, he (Nath) is participating in that," Singh said.
Asked about Chhindwara MP Nakul Nath, Singh said he is an MP of the party and he will also participate in the yatra.
'How can he go anywhere?'
Meanwhile, Kamal Nath's confidant Sajjan Singh Verma dismissed reports on Monday of the veteran Congress leader contemplating a switch to the BJP, saying the question of the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister leaving the party, in which he has spent more than 40 years, does not arise.
Verma said Kamal Nath and his son Nakul Nath are both not crossing over to the BJP and asserted that the latter will contest the Lok Sabha polls, likely to be held in April-May, from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh as the Congress candidate.
Talking to reporters after meeting Nath at his residence here, Verma said he had a detailed discussion with the Congress veteran, who told him that he would soon hold a meeting in Bhopal to ensure the success of the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
"He (Nath) told me that 'I will call all the in-charges of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee and discuss the preparations for the Lok Sabha polls. I asked about the media speculation about him, to which he said, Why should 'I answer an imaginary question?'," Verma said.
"I do not think I need to answer such imaginary questions. I did not tell any mediaperson that I am quitting (the Congress) or compromising with the BJP. In that case, I would have given a reply, but why should I answer an imaginary question?" Nath was quoted as asking by Verma.
He said the question of Nath leaving the grand old party does not arise.
"Thinking that the person who has worked with Indiraji, Rajivji, and Sanjayji, who is referred to as Indira's (Gandhi) third son, will leave the party is meaningless. A person who has spent 40 years in Congress, how can he go anywhere?" Verma asked.
Earlier on Saturday, Kamal Nath had arrived in Delhi and during his brief interaction with reporters here, he asked them not to get excited. Asked if he was joining the BJP, Nath said, "If there would be any such thing, I would inform you first."
From Bhopal to Delhi, suspense had prevailed over what would be Nath’s next move, amid various theories doing the rounds of political circles.
While the Congress leadership, including ex-AICC presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and the party’s general secretary reportedly rang and spoke with Nath in attempts to prevent him from making a possible big political switch, the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister had remained non-committal about his next move.
An astute politician, Kamal Nath has worked with three generations of the Gandhi family. In 1979, then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi described him as her third son.
Nath is said to be disgruntled over not getting a Rajya Sabha berth.
There have been reports about a section of the Congress’s central leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, not being happy with Nath’s style of functioning, which was counted among the reasons for the party’s debacle in the assembly polls.
Nath was replaced as the Congress's Madhya Pradesh unit chief following its rout in the Assembly polls, in which the BJP retained power, winning 163 seats in the 230-member House. The Congress managed to win just 66 seats.
Though all is not going well between Rahul and Kamal Nath, the latter was regularly meeting Sonia Gandhi. Kamal Nath's frequent visits to meet Sonia were also being viewed as the leader racing for the Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh.
According to sources close to Nath, the BJP’s national top brass has been in touch with the former MP CM for the last few weeks. Nath is particularly concerned about his son Nakul Nath’s political future in Chhindwara, knowing well that it would be difficult for the first-time MP to win easily if the BJP fields a strong candidate there in the Lok Sabha polls.
Chhindwara was the only Lok Sabha seat among the 29 in Madhya Pradesh that the Congress was able to win in the 2019 polls.