Congress not the same party that it used to be: Jyotiraditya Scindia

Moving a full cycle, former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday joined the BJP, breaking his over 18-year-long association with Congress, a party which he had joined in December 2001 carrying forward the legacy of his father late Madhav Rao Scindia.

Scindia who resigned from Congress after being completely sidelined in the politics of Madhya Pradesh and amid confusion over the nomination for Rajya Sabha from the AICC, said that he is “pained and sad” (Man vyathit hai, Man dukhi bhi hai) but emphasized that the purpose of serving people cannot be met through this organisation now as Congress is not the same party today which it was earlier.

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“There is an atmosphere of stagnation, there is a tendency to deny realities, “he said, highlighting that there are problems like non-acceptance to new thinking, new ideas and proper leadership. He says a similar atmosphere that is seen at the national level was also being seen in his home state Madhya Pradesh, suggesting that this is what necessitated his decision to quit the Congress.

“In 2018 (when Congress defeated BJP in Madhya Pradesh and formed a government of its own), we had weaved a dream. It is totally broken in the last 18 months. We had promised to waive the loan of farmers in 10 days but it could not happen even in 18 months, “ he said a remark which was panned on social media with some pointing to his recent speech in which he was justifying the work done by the Congress government on this account.

While Scindia thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for inducting him in their family, BJP President J P Nadda in whose presence the Gwalior Royal, joined the saffron party, welcomed his "coming to the family" and assured him that “BJP is a very different party in which every individual has a say and an opportunity to make his contribution.”

Former President Pranab Mukherjee’s daughter Sharmitha Mukherjee appeared critical of Scindia’s remarks and tweeted “ All the best @JM_Scindia ji. Hope you get as much opportunity (& prominence) to serve the nation under BJP as you had under the Congress regime.”

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel from Congress was acerbic at Scindia joining the BJP and reminded that those who quit the party after raising a hue and cry, eventually return silently.

At the BJP headquarters, Scindia was accompanied to the stage by Nadda, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, party national vice president Vinay Sahsrabuddhe, BJP general secretary Anil Jain and Arun Singh but not by Home Minister Amit Shah or Prime Minister Narendra Modi as speculated earlier.

As Scindia formally took BJP's membership on the stage, Nadda greeted him with a hug and a beaming smile while Scindia was introduced as a "well-known fact" in politics who has made a distinct identity for himself in the country.

Scindia on his part hailed Modi's leadership and said the country's future is secure in his hands.