Madhya Pradesh Congress president and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath asserted that the people of the State will vote out the BJP as they are looking for a change. “I have been in politics for 45 years and can read their sentiments. People of Madhya Pradesh want change and the BJP is going to lose the elections by a huge margin,” Mr. Nath said.
The Congress veteran, in an interview with The Hindu, also categorically denied the charge that he was overtly playing the “Hindu card” in trying to woo voters by holding a programme of Dhirendra Shashtri, the head priest of Bageshwar Dham, a revered shrine in the State.
“As far as Bageshwar Dham Baba is concerned, if he announced a programme for Chhindwara, I can’t stop him. I happened to be here and attended it. It was a sarv dharam arti for all religions. He never spoke about Hindutva here, only talked about Kamal Nath and Chhindwara. What is the Hindutva here?” Mr. Nath asked.
Alleging corruption and scams under the present regime, Mr. Nath also questioned why did Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan implement the Ladli Behna scheme, offering a monthly sum of ₹1,500, earlier. “The BJP has been in government for 18 years, so wasn’t the behen [sister] ladli [dear] before that,” he asked.
Breaking away from its tradition, the Congress in Madhya Pradesh had unambiguously declared Mr. Nath as its chief ministerial candidate. Between hectic campaigning in his bastion of Chhindwara, Mr. Nath took some time out to talk to The Hindu about his party’s campaign.
Edited excerpts.
The Congress has targeted the Shivraj Singh government as a “50% commission” government. Is corruption the main poll issue for your party?
Every person in Madhya Pradesh is either a victim of corruption or a witness to it. Corruption is the biggest issue in Madhya Pradesh and right before this election, the contractors themselves came forward to complain that 50% commission is being taken in the Shivraj government.
In the 18 years of Shivraj Singh government, there have been so many scams… Vyapam scam, Demat scam, Dumper scam, police recruitment scam, patwari recruitment scam, nursing scam, Mahakal Lok (corridor) scam. So, the 50% commission is a big issue in this election.
But the biggest issue is to build a prosperous Madhya Pradesh. My way of working is different. I don’t make promises that I can’t keep. We have made the financial calculations for the announcements we have made and we will execute them with discipline.
I have said Shivraj ji believes in television while I have a vision.
You announced many guarantees like LPG cylinder for ₹500, monthly assistance for women and so on. But many believe that with the BJP matching your promises, the Congress may have lost the momentum.
The BJP has been in government for 18 years, so wasn’t the behen (sister) ladli (dear) before that? Why did it take 18 years for the sister to become ladli, that too when the Congress promised the Nari Samman Yojana under which ₹1,500 per month will be given to women and gas cylinders were announced for ₹500. We have made it clear that as soon as the Congress government is formed, on January 1, 2024, women will get ₹1,500 into their accounts and gas cylinders will start being available for ₹500.
You are the only face from the Congress while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the main campaigner here. The BJP has also fielded many MPs to give a national flavour to the elections. Is that a disadvantage or an advantage?
This is a State election and not Mr. Modi’s election. And I want to ask when Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been the Chief Minister for 18 years, why is the BJP ashamed to bring him to the fore? Hiding his face means that the people have completely rejected his governance for the past 18 years. And by fielding Central leaders, the BJP has admitted to losing the elections even before it started and they are now looking for scapegoats.
Some have expressed concerns about the Congress showcasing “Hindu” traditions in politics. Be it cancelling a INDIA bloc rally after DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remark on Sanatan Dharma or inviting Bageshwar Dham priest Dhirendra Shashtri, who talks of a Hindu Rashtra, for a programme at Chhindwara, you are seen as overtly playing the “Hindu card”.
These charges have no basis at all. The INDIA bloc meeting was cancelled as campaigning in Madhya Pradesh was going on in full swing. I had made it clear but the media chosen to focus on some old issues. As far as Bageshwar Dham Baba is concerned, if he announces a programme for Chhindwara, I can’t stop anyone. I happened to be here and attended it. It was a sarv dharam arti for all religions. He never spoke about Hindutva here, only talked about Kamal Nath and Chhindwara. What is the Hindutva here? Please go and see the Hanuman ji temple [having a 101-foot tall Lord Hanuman statue] here. And I built it 14 years ago. There were no questions raised then. Why is the BJP worried if I go to a temple or offer prayers? I don’t need a certificate from the BJP to be a Hindu. I have said this earlier too that I am a Hindu but not a fool. India runs according to the Constitution and will continue to do so.
Your comments on the Rajiv Gandhi government opening the lock of the Ram temple at Ayodhya has become controversial.
Look, the opening of the lock is a fact and nobody can change it. No government could do anything until the Supreme Court gave its verdict. The court gave its verdict during a BJP government and the temple is being built. But that does not give the BJP its title deed. The temple belongs to every citizen of India.
Are you looking at the 2023 Assembly polls to avenge the collapse of your government in March 2020 because of defections?
You travel around Madhya Pradesh and just observe the mood among the people. I have been in politics for 45 years and can read their sentiments. People of Madhya Pradesh want change and the BJP is going to lose the elections by a huge margin.
Some say the collapse was the result of factionalism in the Congress and, even now, people talk of differences between you and Digvijaya Singh.
Again, these are absolutely baseless charges. Those who have doubts in their minds should come to Madhya Pradesh and see how the Congress is fighting the elections unitedly.
The Central leadership of the Congress has made caste census and OBC (other backward classes) outreach its main focus. How do you see this unfolding in the Madhya Pradesh elections?
We have made it clear that when we form the government in Madhya Pradesh, we will carry out caste survey. As far as reservation for OBCs is concerned, we had given 27% but the Shivraj Singh government conspired to end it. The Congress government will once again offer 27% reservation to OBCs. We look at the issue not as a political one but one of social justice.
As the former Commerce Minister, you were seen as business-friendly and keen to get investments. Does it worry you that the top leadership of the party is targeting large business groups now?
Development of Madhya Pradesh is our top-most priority. You need trust to get investments and every necessary measure will be undertaken to attract investments into Madhya Pradesh.
