What Jyotiraditya Scindia said on 2023 Madhya Pradesh polls, Congress

After the BJP retained four of five states last week where assembly elections were held, Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday said that his party was set to return to Madhya Pradesh too in 2023. “Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been working day and night for the welfare of the people and I am sure the BJP will win with a majority in the upcoming 2023 assembly elections,” the 51-year-old minister was quoted as saying by news agency ANI, adding that the “historic results” in the 2022 state polls were a result of “guidelines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief JP Nadda”.

On a day when the Congress was holding key talks over the setback in this round of state elections, Scindia – responding to a question about the party – told ANI- “Congress was my past and I don’t want to waste time on the past, will talk about my present and future.”

Jyotiraditya Scindia’s switch to the BJP in 2020 – along with his loyalists – had led to the fall of the Kamal Nath government in 2020. He had been with the Congress for nearly 18 years. Later, when differences were reported between Sachin Pilot and Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, there was a speculation that he was headed the same way. The top leadership in the party, however, ironed out the differences.

On Sunday, the Congress Working Commitee unanimously decided that Sonia Gandhi will continue to be the chief till the organisational polls are held. However, the national party has yet again come under criticism after failing to revive its fortunes in the state polls.

After winning Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa, the BJP has set its eyes on the next round of the state elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a huge roadshow in Gujarat. Karnataka chief minister Basavraj Bommai and Tripura’s Biplab Deb have said the party will return to the states in 2023.

(With inputs from ANI)