‘Congress trying to rope in Jignesh, Hardik in MP as stalwarts failed’

BHOPAL: Taking a dig at Congress leaders, senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Prabhat Jha on Wednesday said that the party is trying to rope in Jignesh Mevani and Hardik Patel for the Madhya Pradesh elections because stalwarts such as Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh and others have lost their clout among voters.
Jha claimed that BJP will wrest Mungaoli and Kolaras seats from the Congress despite claims that Congress was leading the election campaign for both the seats.
“The reason Congress is inviting Jignesh Mevani and Hardik Patel for campaigning in MP by-elections is because the clout of its leaders like Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh is a thing of the past. Their films have flopped. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced several schemes for both the areas, which Congress neglected in the last 25 years. Congress had also claimed they will win in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh during their campaign, but had to bite dust,” Jha told reporters.
The Rajya Sabha member, who has been assigned responsibility for Kolaras and Mungaoli assembly seats, also attacked the Scindias. He said the late Madhav Rao Scindia ruled the area for 15 years but could hardly do any major development. Since the last 15 years, his son Jyotiraditya has ruled the constituencies but he too has failed to perform.

Jha said that Chouhan not only announced major development projects in the area, but has also assured to develop Karila Mata temple, Shabri Dham and Lav-Kush Dham, which received an overwhelming response. BJP would surely win both the seats, said Jha.
The BJP leader, who has recently kicked up a controversy after a video grab allegedly showing him requesting a group of government teachers in Ashoknagar to help create an atmosphere in favour of the government, went viral on social media. Following this, Congress approached the Election Commission with a complaint alleging misuse of government machinery ahead of the bypolls in Mungaoli and Kolaras.
Reacting to the Congress complaint, Jha said that Congress was anticipating its rout in the coming by-polls and that is why knocking the doors of the Election Commission and other agencies. But, this wouldn’t work, Jha said.
Reacting to Jha’s comment, Congress chief spokesman KK Mishra said, “BJP leader Prabhat Jha is that former state president who was injured in the December 2012 political Pokhran blast. His target is not the Congress party but the chair of sitting BJP president Nandkumar Singh Chauhan. Before he talks of Congress central leaders like Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia, the BJP leader should explain why his party has not involved ministers Maya Singh and Yashodhara Raje Scindia in the campaign for Mungaoli and Kolaras bypolls.”