As Hunt for Rahul Gandhi's Successor Continues, MP Congress Vouch for Scindia, Poster Comes Up in City

Bhopal: Hours after Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned as All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, voices demanding to appoint him as Congress national president were heard in Madhya Pradesh.

On Monday, a poster demanding Scindia’s appointment as the party national president appeared on the entry gate of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office. The poster was removed a few hours later.

Congress leaders from the ‘Scindia camp’ have come out demanding his elevation as party chief. Food Minister Pradyumn Singh Tomar, a staunch Scindia loyalist said, “Scindia is young, impartial and has his own youthful charm.”

Quoting Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh who has backed a youth candidate for party chief’s post, he said Scindia was the perfect choice to lead the party.

However, while talking to reporters outside the Assembly, Tomar said Scindia wasn’t in the race for any post and had his own credence in the party. 

Tomar was recently was in news for his differences with Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

Another Scindia loyalist, minister Mahendra Singh Sisodia said, “He is young and as Rahulji is quitting why can’t he replace him.”

Congress MLA Giriraj Dandotia also claimed that Scindia was the best choice to lead the party nationally. He said the former Guna MP was the most talented party leader in the Hindi belt and the latter's elevation would help the party immensely.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party has come out mocking the Congress cadre’s demand. Party spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal termed the demand as an ‘attempt to keep Scindia in the prominence’ after he lost the Lok Sabha election. “He is finding it hard to even get appointed as PCC chief,” Agrawal said.

Taking responsibility for the party’s defeat, Scindia on Sunday resigned as party general secretary, a post he had assumed ahead of the general election. Scindia is considered among the most trusted aides of Rahul Gandhi. However, he could not swing things in the party’s favour as UP (west) in-charge in the Lok Sabha poll.

To add to his woes, he also lost his family seat Guna to KP Yadav. Several senior party leaders have already resigned from their party posts after Gandhi tendered his resignation as a moral responsibility for the poll drubbing.