The Congress president Rahul Gandhi yesterday, in his speech supporting the confidence motion, committed many blunders. Even by Rahul’s standards, this was one of the worst performances ever. Untruths, gaffes, missteps, disruptions, adjournments, indiscipline and points of orders- anything that can make a speech in the parliament bad, this one had it all. He undermined the decorum of Parliament and hugged PM Modi, he further displayed his immaturity and insensitivity when he reportedly winked at senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia after hugging PM Modi. Rahul Gandhi received a lot of flak on social media for his hug and the wink. Yesterday’s no-confidence fiasco also exposed the severe infighting which is ongoing in Congress’ camp, and Madhya Pradesh could be the first casualty of it.
Jyotiraditya Scindia comes from Madhya Pradesh, a state that has been BJP’s stronghold for decades now, and the Congress is dreaming to capture it. But whatever happened yesterday indicates that the Congress Party’s dream to capture Madhya Pradesh will remain a dream. There are huge possibilities that severe infighting in the Congress will bring the party down in Madhya Pradesh.
In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress is divided into three factions- Scindia, Digvijay and Kamalnath. Although, Digvijay Singh has been steadily side-lined for the last few months, Kamal Nath was made in-charge of the MP election campaign. Recently, according ABP news, Digvijay Singh, Janardan Dwivedi, Kamal Nath, Sushilkumar Shinde, Mohan Prakash, C P Joshi were dropped from Congress Working Committee (CWC).
Congress leaders Digvijay Singh, Janardan Dwivedi, Kamal Nath, Sushilkumar Shinde, Mohan Prakash, C P Joshi dropped from CWC, says party. PTI
— ABP News (@ABPNews) July 17, 2018
It looks like after being dropped out of the CWC, senior Congress leader Kamal Nath has now decide to take the bull by its horns. Yesterday, he abstained from attending the no-confidence motion despite the whip being issued. He told media, “For me the priority is Madhya Pradesh. I have seen many such no-confidence-motions in the last 38 years. I have experience of such debates”.
#WATCH Bhopal: 9 time Lok Sabha Congress MP Kamal Nath skips #NoConfidenceMotion proceedings, says, “For me MP is priority, seen a number of No confidence motions in last 38 years.” pic.twitter.com/YvLZ0QaAPa
— ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2018
Basically, he means to say that he has no interest in being the part of a futile exercise and has many other important and productive things to do. Kamal Nath is the MP from Chhindwara constituency of Madhya Pradesh. He has done a lot of good work for his constituency and enjoys the image of progressive leader across party lines. In 2007, Kamal Nath was named the FDI Personality of the Year by the FDI magazine and the Financial Times Business for his active efforts to attract foreign businesses to India, boost exports, and promote trade and investment. The Economic Times in the year 2008 honored him with the title “Business Reformer of the year”.
The high command is now in a paradoxical situation after seeing the rebellious attitude of senior leader like Kamal Nath. Such infighting when elections are around the corner is not a good sign for the Congress Party. Kamal Nath is a senior and a popular leader and the Congress Party cannot afford to sideline him. The Congress should protect its house of cards from falling, otherwise this infighting will badly harm the party in the upcoming Madhya Pradesh elections and also in the 2019 general elections.