Speculation swirls in political circles stretching from Bhopal to New Delhi regarding the potential shift of senior Congress figure Kamal Nath, accompanied by his son and Chhindwara MP Nakul Nath, towards the BJP. Their sudden departure for the national capital has fueled these rumors further.
Nakul Nath, the solitary Congress Lok Sabha MP hailing from Madhya Pradesh, had initially planned to continue his interactions with party workers in his familial stronghold of Chhindwara from February 14 to 18. However, he abruptly suspended these engagements and journeyed to Delhi alongside his father. Notably, he also omitted 'INC' from his social media biography during this period.
These developments have sparked speculation that Kamal Nath, long regarded as a confidant of the Nehru-Gandhi family, may be contemplating severing ties with the grand old party in anticipation of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Earlier, on February 10, IANS reported on a purported discord between Kamal Nath and former AICC president Rahul Gandhi following the party's setback in the November assembly elections. It was suggested that a prospective arrangement between Kamal Nath and the BJP, which encountered obstacles previously, had been resurrected, with support from various senior BJP figures.
Despite his extensive political experience spanning over four decades, Kamal Nath has kept political observers guessing. While relations between Rahul and Kamal Nath may have soured, the latter has maintained regular visits to meet Sonia Gandhi. These visits, perceived as positioning for a Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh, have stirred speculation.
A recent dinner hosted by Kamal Nath for Congress MLAs at his Bhopal residence was initially interpreted as a display of his clout to secure the Rajya Sabha seat. However, the subsequent nomination of MP Congress treasurer Ashok Singh for the Upper House disappointed Kamal Nath, who is keen on retaining his stronghold in Chhindwara.
Despite the ongoing conjecture, sources within the Madhya Pradesh Congress suggest that while Nakul Nath may consider joining the BJP, Kamal Nath's decades-long association with the Congress and his personal rapport with the Nehru-Gandhi family make such a move unlikely.
Veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who refrained from commenting on the speculation, emphasized on Saturday that he finds it hard to believe that someone who has dedicated years to the Congress would defect to the BJP.
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