Congress will return to power in M.P. after Assembly bypolls: Kamal Nath

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, whose 15-month-old Congress authorities collapsed in March this 12 months and led to the BJP’s return to the helm, has expressed confidence that voters will take away the saffron get together from power in the upcoming meeting bypolls as issues have “worsened” underneath its rule.

Bypolls to 28 Assembly constituencies in the State will be held on November 3.

In order to return to power in the State, the Congress has to win all 28 seats, whereas the ruling BJP solely wants 9 seats to attain the bulk mark of 116 in the 230 -member House.

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“I have full faith in people and voters of the State, especially from these 28 seats. They are aware that the (BJP) government, which came to power by trading people’s mandate, has not been able to change anything in the last seven months.

“The farmers’ condition has worsened and unemployment has increased…people understand everything,” Mr. Nath informed PTI on Friday evening.

“Voters in M.P. are simple, naive and poor, but they are very intelligent,” he mentioned, including that they will take a proper determination.

He mentioned the Congress will return to power in the State after the counting of bypoll votes on November 10.

Replying to a question about what number of seats the Congress expects to win in the bypolls, Mr. Nath mentioned, “I don’t believe in announcing such things. (CM) Shivraj Singh Chouhan is an expert in it”.

The Congress chief has been dealing with criticism for using the term “item” against a woman M.P. Minister throughout the bypoll marketing campaign.

On star campaigner standing, ‘item’ comment

The Election Commission on Friday revoked Mr. Nath’s star campaigner status for “repeated violations of the model code while campaigning for the bypolls”.

Speaking about it, he mentioned, “Which post or position does this star campaigner have? The EC had not given me any notice, nor had it asked me about it. Why they are doing this in the last two days of campaigning only they know”.

But the Congress chief defended his use of the phrase “item”.

“I was in Lok Sabha for so many years. There it is mentioned in the agenda sheet, item number 1, item number 2…

“That was on my mind. I did not say it to disrespect anyone,” he mentioned.

“Yet, I had said that if someone feels insulted, then I express regret,” the previous Chief Minister added.

Mr. Nath additionally claimed that Congress chief Rahul Gandhi didn’t specific disapproval about him in explicit after the episode, however solely mentioned disrespectful language shouldn’t be used towards ladies.

On the BJP’s demand for apology from him over the comment, Mr. Nath mentioned, “It is not anyone’s demand. I do what I feel is right and proper, because it (disrespecting the woman Minister) was never my intention”.

On Scindia’s remarks

Senior chief Jyotiraditya Scindia’s revolt towards the Congress and the resignation of twenty-two MLAs of his get together in Madhya Pradesh had led to the collapse of the Kamal Nath authorities in March.

Days earlier than quitting the Congress, Mr. Scindia, whereas addressing a rally in Tikamgarh, had threatened that he would hit the streets if the get together’s manifesto was not fulfilled by the Kamal Nath-led authorities.

Reacting to his menace later, Mr. Nath had then mentioned, “Toh utar jayein sadak par (Let him hit the streets if he wants to)”.

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When requested about his reply to Mr. Scindia, Mr. Nath mentioned, “if someone says that he will hit the streets and when the same question was asked to me, then I have to say go ahead and do it. What else should I say?”

According to Mr. Scindia’s six loyalist Ministers, who had been among the many 22 legislators who stop the get together in March this 12 months, Mr. Nath’s comment was the final straw that triggered the autumn of his authorities.

When requested whether or not he tried to communicate to Mr. Scindia after that, Mr. Nath mentioned, “We used to talk quite often then. I had good relationship with him. But now there is no point in going back on those old things”.

He additionally slammed Mr. Scindia for alleging that “Bada Bhai-Chhota Bhai” (Mr. Nath and Digvijaya Singh) has arrange a switch business in the State, and claimed that the utmost variety of transfers had been achieved on his (Mr. Scindia’s) suggestion and he has a listing of it.

Bypoll marketing campaign

On being requested in regards to the Congress’s allegations that MLAs had been supplied crores of rupees to change over and whether or not his get together has any proof to help the declare, Mr. Nath mentioned, “there is no need of any proof. People understand everything and they know it…”

“I understand people a lot. I contest polls and don’t go the Rajya Sabha way. I have spent 40 years among people and I know them,” the nine-time Lok Sabha MP from Chhindwara mentioned when requested whether or not his get together will get help from individuals.

On the bitter battle of phrases witnessed throughout the bypoll marketing campaign this time, Mr. Nath mentioned, “Since they have nothing to say about development, they have started this to divert people’s attention.”

“They can’t say anything in the name of development.

“People had voted them out in November 2018. In the last seven months also they have not done anything in terms of development. Therefore, they are trying to divert attention,” he added.

Replying to a query on the BJP’s allegation that the Nath authorities didn’t fulfil the promise of mortgage waiver made to the farmers, Mr. Nath mentioned, “Chouhan was lying for months about it when we were in power. But in the Vidhan Sabha they themselves have presented a figure that agriculture loans of 27 lakh farmers were waived! Now who is wrong, they or me?”

For the primary time in the historical past of Madhya Pradesh, 28 by-polls are being held concurrently due to switching over of 25 Congress MLAs to the BJP.