Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections: Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday refuted Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh's claim that he "ran away" from the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. Scindia was questioned by reporters regarding Digvijaya Singh's statement.
Here's is Scindia's reaction
When asked about Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's reported statement that Jyotiraditya Scindia has left the field as Congress has fielded 3 strong candidates in Shivpuri, Scindia said, "Do you ever take Digvijaya Singh seriously?"
Singh mentioned that the Congress fielded K P Singh as its candidate from Shivpuri, despite having promised the ticket to former BJP MLA Virendra Raghuvanshi. This was done because it was anticipated that Jyotiraditya Scindia would contest from Shivpuri as the BJP's candidate. Scindia responded to this claim. But Scindia, in the end, "ran away due to fear," Digvijaya said on Monday.
What did Singh say?
Asked whether this was done to prevent Scindia from contesting from Shivpuri on a BJP ticket, Singh said, “Definitely. He (Scindia) ran away as he was scared (to face KP Singh).” Sitting BJP MLA from Shivpuri and state minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia, an aunt of Jyotiraditya Scindia, has opted out of contesting elections due to her ill health.
Notably, the ruling BJP has fielded three Union ministers in the next month's assembly elections. In 2018, the BJP's Yashodhara Raje Scindia had won from Shivpuri but she declined to contest this time citing health reasons.
Meanwhile, some Congress leaders from Shivpuri and Ashok Nagar joined the BJP in Scindia's presence here.
Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections
The election to the 230-member assembly in Madhya Pradesh is scheduled to be held on November 17, while the counting of votes will take place on December 3.
In the 2018 assembly polls, the Congress had won 114 seats, while the BJP got 109. However, the Congress government fell after many MLAs under the leadership of Jyotiraditya Scindia, who later became a Union minister, joined the BJP. The BJP returned to power in March 2020 with Shivraj Singh Chouhan as chief minister for a fresh term. The BJP's current strength in the assembly is 127.
