Jyotiraditya Scindia
Jyotiraditya Scindia
By Sanjiv Acharya
There is no doubt that only Jyotiraditya Scindia can be the real challenge to the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh in the next Assembly elections if he is projected as the chief minister candidate from the Congress party. He was a strong contender for the president of the Pradesh Congress Committee after Suresh Pachouri offered to relinquish responsibility in lieu of the defeat in the Assembly polls two years ago. But the Congress high command appointed the tribal MP from Jhabua and former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria as the new party chief who is also a loyal supporter of Digvijaya Singh. Jyotiraditya Scindia has been taking on the state’s BJP government for the misuse of Central funds and has become Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan’s main adversary.
The state government does not lose any opportunity to act against the ‘Maharaja’ of Gwalior. Sometime ago when the district administration was widening roads, it declared that the elephant sculptures outside the gates of the Scindia palace will have to be removed. But Jyotiraditya, who doesn’t want any controversy, took the initiative and had the elephants removed. Now another incident has come to light. The late Madhavrao Scindia’s wife and Jyoti-raditya’s mother Madhavi Raje’s trust wanted to build a hospital (a franchisee of the famous Fortis hospital group) in Gwalior. Land belonging to the Scindia family was chosen and a No Objection Certificate was applied for from the district collector for construction. At first the district authorities gave permission but later withdrew the permission claiming the land belongs to the government. Scindia’s trust furnished all documents but nothing happened.
The people of Gwalior are upset because the multi-specialty hospital would benefit the people unlike the building of a hotel or resort. The Local MP is Yashodhara Raje, sister of Madhavrao Scindia who is not in good terms with her brother’s family. She is in the BJP like her late mother Vijaya Raje and elder sister Vasundhara Raje. Sources say the BJP right from Gwalior to Bhopal is up in arms against Jyotiraditya because they consider him to be the only threat due to his clean image, popular mass base and grassroot approach. Scindia also had a tough time during elections to the president of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association some time back because the powerful minister in Shivraj Singh’s cabinet, Kailash Vijayvargiya had contested against him. However Scindia won the election by a huge margin and proved his popularity. Its not going to be easy for the young Scindia scion as the BJP sees in him a possible future chief minister.
scindia is next CM of MP