Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath interacts with the media, in New Delhi, Saturday, Feb, 17, 2024. Amid speculation that he could cross over to the BJP, the senior Congress leader arrived in the national capital Saturday afternoon and said if there would be any such thing, he would inform the media first. (PTI Photo)
BHOPAL: Speculation is rife over the potential defection of veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath and his son Nakul, an MP from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, to the BJP, as Nakul deleted his party affiliation from his social media account bio on Saturday.
Kamal Nath, who had been in Chhindwara for the past five days, departed for Delhi via Bhopal in a chartered flight, accompanied by his son. When questioned by the media about the speculations regarding their potential switch to the BJP, Kamal Nath responded, “If there will be any such thing, I will inform you first.” Despite persistent inquiries, he refrained from confirming or denying the rumours, urging the media to avoid unnecessary excitement over the matter.
AICC in-charge of Madhya Pradesh Jitendra Singh expressed skepticism about Nath's departure from the Congress. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, speaking in Jabalpur, reiterated his belief that Nath would remain loyal to the Congress and the Gandhi family. Singh emphasised that Kamal Nath has stood by the party through various challenges and is unlikely to sever ties with the Congress.
Sources reveal that Kamal Nath's discontent stems from being overlooked for a Rajya Sabha ticket from Madhya Pradesh, with the party instead nominating Ashok Singh, a loyalist of Digvijay Singh.
A social media post by BJP spokesman Narendra Singh Saluja, featuring a photo of Kamal Nath and his son with the caption ‘Jai Shri Ram’, has further fuelled speculations about their possible departure from the Congress to the BJP.
This development occurs amidst recent invitations extended to Kamal Nath by senior BJP leaders, including former Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan and state party president Vishnu Dutt Sharma, to join the saffron party. Kamal Nath is reportedly disheartened by the denial of a Congress ticket for Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh.
In a related development, Sajjan Singh Verma, a Congress MLA from Sonkatch in Madhya Pradesh and a staunch supporter of Kamal Nath, has purportedly removed the party's logo from his social media profiles.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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