Bhopal: Senior BJP leader and state urban development minister Kailash Vijayvargiya on Sunday said that doors of BJP were shut for ‘a leader like Kamal Nath’.
“Doors of BJP are shut for a leader like Kamal Nath at least in Madhya Pradesh. We cannot comment on the decision, if taken by Delhi (BJP Central leadership) on Mr Nath. But, Mr Nath will not be accepted by BJP in Madhya Pradesh”, Mr Vijayvargiya, who is also former national general secretary of the party, told the media here.
He was reacting to the raging rumours making rounds in political circles that Congress veteran Mr Nath may join along with his son in BJP.
A week ago, Mr Vijayvargiya had also ruled out Mr Nath’s induction in BJP, saying that “One will prefer to buy fresh vegetables in the market, not the rotten ones”.
Mr Vijayvargiya echoed sentiments of the influential sections of BJP in the state.
“Mr Nath will obviously come to BJP along with his supporters, if at all he joins BJP. This will trigger strong resentment among the cadres in the party. Such a move may boomerang on the party in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh”, a senior BJP leader said, requesting not to be quoted.
Speculations about Mr Nath quitting Congress started making rounds in the party circles here ever since he was denied Rajya Sabha ticket by Congress from Madhya Pradesh.
Former chief minister Mr Nath was also reportedly peeved at being divested of post of state Congress president following debacle of the party in the outgoing Assembly elections in the state.
The rumours gained strength when Mr Nath’s son Nakul, a sitting Congress Lok Sabha member, dropped the logo of the party on his social media X account, a couple of days ago.
The recent statement by state BJP president Vishnu Dutt Sharma extending invitation to Mr Nath to join the party for being unhappy with the decision by the Congress high command not to attend the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22, has further fuelled the speculation.
