In Chhindwara, ‘do or die’ situation for Kamal Nath
Political circles here are abuzz with talks about the fate of Congress veteran and former chief minister Kamal Nath with Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency, held by his family for the past 44 years, going to polls in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh along with five other seats.
With the BJP going all out to wrest Chhindwara from Congress in this poll, 78-year-old Mr Nath has spared no efforts to ensure victory of his son Nakul, who is seeking re-elections in the seat, and thus re-establish his relevance.
Undeterred by the move by the BJP to wean away his support base in Chhindwara by wooing away his party loyalists, Mr Nath steered the campaign for his son by camping in Chhindwara for the past four months.
The septuagenarian leader was said to be peeved at the decision by Congress leadership to rob him of duel posts of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and state Congress chief, one after another, after the grand old party faced debacle in the November 2023 Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. He had also found him entangled in an unsavoury controversy a few months ago when speculations made rounds in the political circles on his switching over to the BJP.
He, however, later denied any such move by him. But, doubts over his next political move still persisted in political circles particularly the Congress.
The developments have created a “do or die” situation for him in the polls to Chhindwara.
“Whatever decision we will take in future, it will be for the development of Chhindwara”, Mr Nath has recently said while addressing an election meeting in the Lok Sabha constituency.