Madhya Pradesh CM calls Kamal Nath an 'outsider'

Bhopal, March 27 (IANS) Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday called the former Chief Minister Kamal Nath an “outsider” and asked the voters in Chhindwara to bid adieu to “outsider” in the upcoming elections.

“Outsiders came here (Chhindwara) but they are not willing to move out. It’s an appropriate time (Lok Sabha election) to bid adieu to the outsiders,” Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said while addressing a rally in Chhindwara on Wednesday, without mentioning Kamal Nath.

The Chief Minister indirectly attempted to remind the Chhindwara voters that Kamal Nath, who has won nine times from Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat and made it his family bastion for the last 40 years, was born in Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh).  

Hitting further at Kamal Nath, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the Congress leader did not see leadership potential "beyond his family members".

Referring to the people of Chhindwara, the Chief Minister said: "Every time you elect a leader from just one family. Is there no leadership quality in your children? Why don't you elect the person who belongs to you and live with you?"

He also questioned the leadership quality of Chhindwara MP Nakul Nath, who is contesting his second Lok Sabha election from his family bastion. 

"Do you see any potential in Chhindwara MP? Your children were not allowed to grow because Kamal Nath did not see leadership quality in you beyond his family members," the Chief Minister said. 

He was addressing the rally in support of BJP candidate Vivek Shahu ‘Banti’, who has been fielded against the loan Congress MP from Madhya Pradesh in 2019, Nakul Nath. 

The BJP has fielded Banti against Nakul Nath. Interestingly, it is the third time Banti has been fielded against the Nath family. Earlier, Banti fought the Assembly election against Kamal Nath in November last year and lost by a margin of 37,000 votes. 

He had also contested against the Congress veteran during the by-poll (Chhindwara Assembly seat) in 2019 but lost. However, the BJP this time has broken several trusted allies of Kamal Nath, including former minister Deepak Saxena, who had left the Chhindwara assembly seat for Kamal Nath in 2019. 

Saxena used to be a close member of Kamal Nath's political circle in Chhindwara. On Tuesday, when Nakul Nath filed his nomination papers, Saxena was supposed to join Nath family, however, he did not turned-up untill the last minute. 

A chair reserved for Saxena during Kamal Nath-Nakul Nath's Tuesday rally also remained vacant. Saxena has not joined the BJP so far, but at the same time has maintained distance from Kamal Nath. 

Notably, the Chhindwara parliamentary seat is the lone seat in the state where the Congress registered victory in the last Lok Sabha election. 

Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh are scheduled to be held in the first four phases of the total seven phases dated April 19, April 26, May 7, and May 13.