Bhopal: In a bid to address the curiosity surrounding Congress’ face for the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh later this year, MPCC chief Kamal Nath has said that disgruntled farmers, unemployed youth and insecure women would be party’s face against CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
In an exclusive chat with News18, the senior Congress leader said that the Congress was not fighting the image of Shivraj but the BJP as a whole.
“Farmers, traders, women, jobless youths and labourers are feeling victimised under the rule of Shivraj Singh Chouhan and I had never seen such a political scenario in my life.”
“That is why I say we are taking on their party organization that is fuelled by dhan bal (money power) and not any candidate. I don’t buy these theories that a BJP face carries a sizeable popularity or followership,” Nath added.
When asked that it’s been two months since he assumed office as the MPCC head and the party plans is yet to go to field with the campaigning, the nine-time Chhindwara MP explained that Congress is taking on BJP’s organizational might backed by “money power”, so the party has decided to do away with their internal weaknesses first.
“We have appointed district heads and acting presidents so as to strengthen our organisation before starting with our campaign.”
Trashing assumptions that the Congress was a defunct unit in Madhya Pradesh, especially after remaining out of power for 15 years, Nath said that he was witnessing party leaders and workers coming forward with full force. “It’s understandable that personal issues such as health, business or family might have occupied them for the last 15 years, but all of them are out in the field now,” he claimed.
Asked as to why the Congress could not improve Digvijay Singh’s tainted image as alleged by the BJP, Nath retorted saying, diverting attention by going back to the past was a known gimmick of the BJP. “We are not going into the past and need not polish anyone’s image as we are looking forward with positivity.”
Speaking on Patidar leader Hardik Patel joining Congress’ campaign in Madhya Pradesh, the MPCC chief clarified that the party was not inviting anyone. Whoever, including Hardik Patel, was working against the BJP, was doing so on his own.
“Hardik is fighting through his NGO and Congress does not intervene in his activities but whoever works to expose BJP is always welcome.”
On AICC general secretary in-charge of MP, Deepak Babaria’s announcement of Congress appointing a Dalit Deputy Chief Minister after winning, Nath claimed Babaria’s remarks were misinterpreted as he simply answered a question on whether Congress “could” appoint a Dalit CM.
“We are working on a strategy for social media so that we give a tough fight to BJP in the virtual space as well,” Nath said when asked about Congress’ social media campaign that didn’t do well in Gujarat and Karnataka and fizzled out well before the elections.
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