Scindia once decision-maker in Congress, now BJP backbencher, says Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Taking a jibe at BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who switched his side from the Grand Old party, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that Scindia could have become chief minister with the Congress but has become a backbencher in the BJP.

As per sources, the Congress leader took a swipe at Scindia while speaking to the Youth Wing of the party about the importance of Congress organisation.

“He (Scindia) would have become the Chief Minister had he stayed with Congress but has become a backbencher in the BJP. Scindia had the option to strengthen the organisation by working with Congress workers. I told him - One day you will become the Chief Minister. But he chose another route,” he told party workers.

According to sources, Gandhi further said, “Write it down, he will never become chief minister while being the BJP. He will have to come back to Congress for that.”

In Congress, Scindia was counted among ‘decision makers' and now he gets to enjoy from the back seat as a spectator, he reportedly said at the party's youth event.

Notably, Scindia was one of those Congress leaders who could call on Gandhi at any time. He had a free pass to the former Congress president's home. However, Scindia left the party and joined the BJP in March last year that led to the collapse of the Kamal Nath-led government in Madhya Pradesh.

Scindia was made a Rajya Sabha member by the BJP. He had lost the 2019 Lok Sabha polls to KP Singh Yadav despite contesting from his traditional seat of Guna, which was considered a family bastion of the Scindias in Madhya Pradesh.