Digvijaya Singh Blames Kamal Nath-Scindia Rift for Congress Government’s 2020 Fall

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh has said that the “अहंकार” of Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with disagreements over posts and growing mutual distrust, led to the fall of the Congress government in March 2020. In an interview with a private newspaper, Singh spoke about the political crisis that resulted in a change of government in the state.

According to Digvijaya Singh, the conflict between Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia was not limited to a single issue. The two leaders remained caught in disagreements over the Chief Minister’s post, positions in the party and government, a government bungalow in Delhi, and the transfers of senior officials. Singh said that the continuing differences weakened the foundation of the Congress government and eventually led to a change in power.

Singh said that after the Congress formed the government following the 2018 विधानसभा elections, Jyotiraditya Scindia was a contender for the post of Chief Minister. However, Kamal Nath was made Chief Minister. After this, Kamal Nath proposed making Scindia the Madhya Pradesh Congress president, but Scindia did not agree to the proposal.

According to Digvijaya Singh, Scindia wanted his supporters to be given important positions in both the government and the party organisation. Disagreements between the two leaders continued to grow over posts and political influence. Singh has described this dispute as one of the key reasons behind the increasing tension within the Congress government.

The issue of a government bungalow in Delhi also contributed to the bitterness between the two leaders, Singh said. According to him, their differences were not confined to the question of power and the party organisation in Madhya Pradesh. A conflict also developed over the government bungalow in Delhi. These disputes further deepened the distrust that already existed between them.

The transfer of collectors and police superintendents in the Gwalior-Chambal division was another issue over which the two leaders were said to have differed. The political contest over the appointment and transfer of officials brought the differences within the government into sharper focus.

Digvijaya Singh said that the continuing tussle affected the functioning of the government and coordination among its leadership. According to him, the disagreements over official appointments and transfers reflected the broader struggle over political influence between Kamal Nath and Scindia.

The Congress had formed the government in Madhya Pradesh after the 2018 विधानसभा elections, with Kamal Nath becoming Chief Minister. The government later fell in March 2020 after Jyotiraditya Scindia left the Congress and MLAs supporting him resigned. The government was reduced to a minority.

Kamal Nath resigned as Chief Minister on 20 March 2020. After this, a BJP government was formed under the leadership of Shivraj Singh Chouhan on 23 March.

Digvijaya Singh’s latest statement has once again brought attention to the political developments in Madhya Pradesh that changed the state’s power equation. In his account, leadership ambitions, disagreements over posts and the growing distrust between Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia were important links in the chain of events that led to the fall of the Congress government.