Amid buzz over Kamal Nath’s switchover to BJP, Congress leader says ‘haven’t spoken to anyone’

After speaking with former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma remarked, “I had a discussion with him (Kamal Nath). He indicated that his current priority is assessing the caste dynamics across the 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh. He mentioned that he hasn’t contemplated anything like that (departing from the party).”

The Kamal Nath camp is reportedly making efforts to garner the support of 23 MLAs to circumvent anti-defection laws, according to party insiders. With the Congress holding 66 seats in the 230-member Assembly, the aim is to secure enough legislators to surpass the one-third mark. “If one-third of the MLAs switch over, then anti-defection laws will not apply,” explained MP High Court advocate Rakesh Pandey to PTI.

Former state minister Vikram Verma, a loyalist of Kamal Nath, wrote ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in his X profile and reiterated his commitment to Nath and said, “I will follow Kamal Nath.”

Deepak Saxena, former MP minister and loyalist of Kamal Nath, expressed his disappointment to the media in Chhindwara over the manner in which Nath was removed as the state unit chief following the Assembly elections’ setback. “We want our leader to be accorded all the respect. Whatever decision he takes, we will stand by him,” Saxena said. (PTI)

In March 2020, another senior leader, Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with several MLAs loyal to him, defected to the BJP. This move resulted in the collapse of the Congress government led by Nath.

Around half a dozen Madhya Pradesh MLAs loyal to senior Congress leader Kamal Nath reached Delhi on Sunday amid speculation that he and his MP son Nakul Nath are set to join the ruling BJP. Three of these MLAs are from Chhindwara, while another three from the region are set to leave for Delhi, PTI reports, citing sources close to Kamal Nath.

When questioned about his potential switchover to the BJP, former Madhya Pradesh CM and Congress leader Kamal Nath on Sunday replied, “I said yesterday that if any such development arises, I will tell the media. I have not engaged in discussions with anyone.”

Following the Congress‘s defeat in the assembly polls, where the BJP secured 163 out of 230 seats, Kamal Nath was replaced as the party’s Madhya Pradesh unit chief. The Congress only managed to win 66 seats in the election.

After Madhya Pradesh BJP chief V D Sharma’s remarks that the doors were open for Kamal Nath to join the saffron party, his son Nakul Nath has dropped ‘Congress’ from his bio on social media accounts.

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari said amid reports of senior party leader Kamal Nath joining BJP:

“The reports are unfounded. It is unimaginable that Kamal Nath, the third son of Indira Gandhi, would depart from the Congress. Every Congress member has recently worked under Kamal Nath’s guidance for the Assembly elections; it’s inconceivable for him to abandon them.”

“These are just rumours,” he added.

This is Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma and close aide of former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath says:

“In politics, three elements play a significant role: respect, insult, and self-respect. When any of these factors are compromised, individuals tend to reconsider their decisions. When a prominent politician with a 45-year legacy of service to Congress and the nation contemplates leaving his party, it’s likely influenced by these three dynamics. However, it’s important to note that no concrete decision has been made regarding Kamal Nath’s departure; current discussions remain speculative.”

Kamal Nath is reportedly said to be disgruntled over not getting a Rajya Sabha seat and also Rahul Gandhi being opposed to him since the party lost the Assembly elections last year.

Kamal Nath had been on a tour of his bastion Chhindwara, from where he had been an MP for nine terms. His son Nakul Nath won the seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, even as the BJP swept the remaining 28 seats in the state.

In his brief interaction with reporters, Kamal Nath asked them not to get excited.

Asked if he is joining the BJP, the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh said, “If there would be any such thing, I would inform you first.”

When a reporter asked if he was not denying a possible switch, Nath said, “It is not about denying, you are saying this, you people are getting excited. I am not getting excited, this side or that side, but if there would be any such thing, I would inform you first.”

On Friday, Madhya Pradesh BJP President VD Sharma had said that several people in the Congress were upset that the party had declined the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony invite.

On reports of Kamal Nath switching to BJP, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh called it “sensational news”.

“I spoke to Kamal Nath at 10.30 pm yesterday, he is in Chhindwara. A person who started his political journey and stood with the Nehru-Gandhi family when Indira Gandhi was sent to jail, do you think he will ever leave Congress and the Gandhi family?”

The Madhya Pradesh CM and Congress leader Kamal Nath arrived at Delhi airport on Saturday.

“Why are you all getting excited? I will inform you all if there is something like that,’ says Kamal Nath to reporters when asked if he is joining the BJP.

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