‘Chouhan and me…’: Scindia lauds BJP leader after switching party

Jyotiraditya Scindia, the rebel Congress leader of Madhya Pradesh who switched over to the BJP on Wednesday, recalled an unusual familiarity between him and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday (March 12).

While speaking at the BJP office in state capital Bhopal, the former Guna MP showered praises on Chouhan, a BJP leader, and said, “There are only two leaders in the state who never use air-conditioner in our vehicles… Chouhan and me.”

Shivraj Singh Chouhan was present to welcome Scindia at the party office.

Scindia was delivering his first speech in the state after joining the BJP, two days after he announced his resignation from the Congress. Following him, 22 Congress MLAs too resigned from the party, pushing the Kamal Nath-led state government into a crisis.

He said he considers himself fortunate that the BJP accepted him in the party and assured party workers that he will work wholeheartedly for them. The former Congress leader said the one thing he was bringing to the table was hard work.

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“I am feeling fortunate to join the BJP. Party president JP Nadda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah opened the doors of this party for me,” Scindia said. “I have brought only one thing with me (to BJP) and that is my hard work.”

“The organisation and family in which I have spent 20 years, the organisation where I have put my hard work and efforts, I am leaving all that behind and handing myself over to you,” said Scindia. “It is a very emotional day for me today. I consider myself fortunate that this family (BJP) opened the doors for me.”

Scindia said he joined the BJP by leaving everything and came with only a full heart. He said his aim is “not politics but doing public service” and told the BJP leaders: “We had fought against each other in 2018, but today we are one.”

The former Guna MP said when he raised issues like injustice to farmers falsely accused in the Mandsaur firing case, he was asked (by Congress) to take to the streets. “When Scindia family is challenged then it won’t remain silent,” he said. Scindia said his only aim is to make a place in the heart of each and every BJP worker.

Welcoming Scindia, Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar assured him that he will not have any complaints with the large BJP family. Chouhan said, “We had a direct fight with Scindia ji, but someone else took the post (of Chief Minister).

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Taunting Chief Minister Kamal Nath for organising IIFA ceremony, Chouhan said the government has no money for farmers but enough funds for the Bollywood event.

Scindia arrived at the state BJP headquarters here to a grand welcome by the saffron party leaders amid bursting of crackers.

After reaching the BJP office Deendayal Parisar in posh Arera Colony in a rally from the airport, Scindia garlanded busts of his grandmother Vijayaraje Scindia, Deendayal Upadhyay and former BJP president Kushabhau Thakre.

Earlier, Scindia arrived at the airport on Thursday afternoon to a rousing welcome by BJP workers. A large number of his supporters and BJP workers welcomed him at the airport with the party flags.

Local BJP activists and leaders rushed to greet the former Lok Sabha MP from Guna as soon as he stepped out of the airport.

(With inputs from agencies)