A day after the BJP sprang a surprise by fielding Union Ministers and MPs as candidates for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly election, the Congress on Tuesday claimed that the move showed “lack of confidence” in Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
In a statement posted on X, All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge of Madhya Pradesh Randeep Surjewala said by fielding seven MPs, including three Union Ministers and national general secretary besides the Chief Minister, the BJP had shown how “scared” it was of the Congress.
“It is clear how the fear of Congress haunts the BJP,” Mr. Surjewala said, adding that the personalities of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath and the “anger of the brave people” of the State had made the BJP panic.
The AICC general secretary alleged that the BJP Central leadership was aware that the State leadership had brought Madhya Pradesh to “the brink of disaster”.
“That is why 15 days ago [Home Minister] Amit Shah and yesterday [Prime Minister] Modi ji distanced themselves from the name and work of Shivraj ji,” Mr. Surjewala said.
Targeting Mr. Chouhan as well as his colleague, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Congress leader said, “They know that their boat is sinking and that’s why they want to take down the others as well”.
