Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said he is not in any race to become the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. In an exclusive interview to NDTV, the Civil Aviation Minister said the question of him running for Chief Minister does not arise as he has always been a party worker and will remain so.
"The Congress has people vying for power, they have groups, they scheme to become Chief Minister, and before elections Congress has some eight leaders claiming to be Chief Minister. BJP is a party of workers. We are all karyakartas, and will remain so," Mr Scindia told NDTV inside his campaign vehicle.
"The entire BJP in Madhya Pradesh is fighting the election under Prime Minister's leadership... I am not in this race (for Chief Minister's post). I am a sewak. I am not in the race at all," he told NDTV.
The BJP leader on November 2 had said something similar about not including the Scindia family in the race for the chair. "Never include the Scindia family in the race for the chair (referring to the Chief Minister's post). The Scindia family works day and night with a passion for development, progress and public service," he had said.
The Union Minister hit back at his former party, Congress, over alleged corruption and punched holes in the INDIA Opposition bloc, which has been trying to gain support of Other Backward Classes (OBC) voters.
"What's the OBC factor? Congress thinks the people can't see through them? There are 27 OBC ministers in Modi ji's cabinet," Mr Scindia said. "The Congress's G (guarantee) is not only 2G, they have the capability to do 5G," he added, referring to the scam in allotting 2G spectrum under the UPA.
"I welcome whatever abuses the Congress gives me. I have no grudge against the Congress. Whatever abuses the Congress may say to me, they even abused my family. The person who gave his life for the Congress, my respected father, He was martyred while going to the Congress rally. They did not have the courage when I was in the Congress or he was in the Congress. Are you reading a new history? Are you reading the history of the British?" Mr Scindia said.
He added he was sure the BJP would form a full-majority government in the state.
Madhya Pradesh will vote in a single phase on November 17; counting is on December 3.
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