Jyotiraditya Scindia bats for projecting CM face in Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL: Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday pitched for projecting a chief ministerial nominee in his home state Madhya Pradesh, which goes to the polls towards the end of this year, and noted that his party has many leaders to choose from.

HIGHLIGHTS

• I am not saying that we have to project a face in every state, but where you have faces, you have to project one: Scindia
• Referring to the bypolls in Mungaoli and Kolaras, Scindia said people's blessings were with the Congress

"Every party has different policies for each state. I am not saying that we have to project a face in every state, but where you have faces, you have to project one," Scindia, the Lok Sabha MP from Guna, said.

Scindia, one of the tallest Congress leaders in the state, could be a choice for the top job.

"Neither the BJP projects a face in every state, nor does the Congress. But where you have faces you have to use them," the former Union minister added.

"My statement (projecting a face) is not just confined to Madhya Pradesh. Politics is changing. Now, people even want to know the face of the corporator (in their ward). It has become a reality in the entire country," Scindia told PTI in an interview.He was sharing his views during campaigning for Kolaras and Mungaoli assembly bypolls scheduled for February 24.

"I have made this statement earlier and I am making it today also. This is not confined to Madhya Pradesh only, but for the entire country," the 47-year-old MP from Guna said.
Replying to a specific question whether there is a need to announce a chief ministerial candidate in Madhya Pradesh, he said, "I believe there is a need for it. You have faces ... don't you think we have faces in Madhya Pradesh?"

Scindia said he was ready to accept any responsibility assigned to him by the party.
"Whatever responsibility the party had given to me in the last 16 years, I discharged it diligently- whether it was the charge of Union minister or chief whip of the Congress in the Lok Sabha. This is my ideology and I follow it," he said.

Referring to the bypolls in Mungaoli and Kolaras, he said people's blessings were with the Congress. He said the work done by the Congress in the two constituencies would ensure its candidates won.He said good quality roads, electricity supply, a central school, the Kota-Bina railway line worth Rs 2,000 crore, 756 KVA line from Agra to Bina worth Rs 1,500 crore and road network will help the party win the bypolls. Mungaoli and Kolaras are part of the Guna Lok Sabha seat represented by Scindia.

Scindia said the BJP ministers who were camping in the two constituencies were hardly seen in normal times.

Referring to the alleged irregularities in voters list in the two constituencies over which the Congress has filed a complaint with the Election Commission, he claimed, the names of 22,000 electors were found in the list of three different polling booths. he said it led to the transfer of Ashoknagar collector and three other officials.

"I congratulate the Election Commission for taking cognizance of it and taking action in the matter. Congress should verify the voters list in the entire state as I am sure that such irregularities must have been done by the BJP in all the booths in the state," he added.