Missing Scindia at party function raises eyebrows

Opposition Congress described the development as a ‘sign of rift’

Senior BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia’s absence at a party function here on Sunday, organised to felicitate new office-bearers of the state unit, has raised many eyebrows here with the Opposition Congress describing the development as a “sign of rift” between him and state BJP leadership.

Madhya Pradesh Congress unit vice-president Raja Pateria said Scindia’s absence was significant considering the inadequate representation given to his camp in the recent reorganisation of the party. “Only one leader from Scindia’s camp has been accommodated. This indicates all is not well in the BJP in MP”, Pateria said.

Madan Kushwaha, a leader from Gwalior considered Scindia’s loyalist, has been appointed state secretary. The BJP dismissed the charges, describing it a “conspiracy theory manufactured by the Congress.”

“It is not necessary for Scindia to attend all party events. He has expressed his best wishes to all the newly-appointed officebearers individually. Many senior leaders such as Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar were also not present at the function. It is the Congress which promotes the ‘my men, his men’ culture. The BJP shuns such culture,” state BJP secretary Rajneesh Agrawal said.

State party president V.D. Sharma and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan were among the senior party leaders who were present on the occasion.

Hailing Sharma for giving an opportunity to the next generation leaders in his team, the Chief

Minister said BJP always promoted young people unlike the Congress which never dared to look

beyond its old guard. In the reconstituted BJP in MP, there are 12 new vicepresidents, 12 state secretaries,

a treasurer, an assistant treasurer, an office secretary and a media in-charge.