Royal Mess

Pressure tactics employed by Scindia loyalists for the PCC chief’s post could be an attempt to warn the high command against writing him off.

- Sravani Sarkar

IT WAS A WEEKEND of high drama in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress was expected to name a new chief for the state unit of the party by September 1, relieving Chief Minister Kamal Nath of the twin responsibilities he has been handling for the past eight months.

But as the weekend drew to a close, it was clear that the appointment of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief was deferred, once again. Amid the confusion that prevailed, one thing was quite clear. Supporters of former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia were not giving up their efforts to get their leader elevated to the top post. As Nath flew to Delhi on August 30 to discuss with Congress president Sonia Gandhi the issue of the new PCC president, Scindia supporters came out openly demanding his elevation. Some of them threatened to resign if their demand was not met. Scindia chose to remain silent, although there were reports that he had given ‘an ultimatum’ to make him the PCC chief or else he would consider ‘other options’.

After his meeting with Sonia, Nath said the appointment of the new chief was deferred for the moment, as the Congress president wanted wider consultations on the issue. Deepak Babaria, Congress general secretary in charge of Madhya Pradesh, confirmed to THE WEEK that the appointment would take some more time. Scindia loyalists responded with a one-day protest in Shivpuri. Posters came up in Gwalior urging Sonia to elevate Scindia.