Analysis | 2 BJP MLAs back Kamal Nath in Madhya Pradesh but...

Bhopal: It was touted as Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath's master stroke when he won over two opposition BJP MLAs and made them vote for a bill moved by his government a day after the saffron party defeated the Congress-JD(S) government in a trust vote in Karnataka.

The two BJP legislators, who supported the ruling Congress on the bill in the Madhya Pradesh assembly, gave all signs of being every bit happy over their 'ghar wapasi' (homecoming). The duo, Narayan Tripathi and Sharad Kol, were earlier with the Congress before joining BJP.

In Congress also, most leaders hailed the smart strategy by Kamal Nath and it had created a sense of unease in the saffron party. But amid all this surge of euphoria, there is a senior Congress leader, who is not exactly amused over the development.

Ajay Singh, son of former Mahdya Pradesh chief minister Arjun Singh, gave indications of his displeasure over the development, albeit indirectly, a day after Narayan Tripathi and Sharad Kol cross-voted in favour of the bill.

The political animosity between Tripathi and Ajay Singh, who come from the Baghelkhand, is no secret and goes back long. Political observers from the region say differences between the two cropped up when Ajay was contesting Lok Sabha election from Satna seat in 2014. Sensing change in voters’ mood, sources say, Tripathi tacitly helped the BJP candidate win the election at that time.

Talking to journalists, without naming anyone, Singh said, there was no change in his views on the two and a thought should be given to feelings of committed workers.

A senior Congress leader, wishing not to be named, said, “Ajay Singh is hurt over the development. He has been a vocal critic of Tripathi. It is a battle of supremacy between the two leaders.”

On a weak wicket after two back-to-back defeats, the recent development has not gone down well with Ajay. He lost election for Churhat assembly seat towards the end of 2018. Six months later, he suffered another blow when he lost Sidhi Lok Sabha seat to the BJP candidate in the summer of 2019.

After all, the Congress politics in the region, for more than three decades, was largely dominated by party stalwart Arjun Singh and his son Ajay. Former speaker Shrinivas Tiwari was the other leader, who wielded considerable sway in the region.

Before he lost Churhat seat in 2018 assembly election, Ajay was a dominant leader from Vindhya region and cornered the previous BJP government by raising many issues in the House as the leader of opposition and outside.

Sources say the way events unfolded over the past few day, some would be prompted to take it as a dent in the senior party leader’s clout. Going by chief minister Kamal Nath’s style of functioning, possibility of a strong protest particularly from Singh’s supporters against those who did not stay with the party through thick and thin looks unlikely.

Tripathi, an old hand in battle of ballot is a five-time MLA from Maihar seat and had not once tasted defeat in successive assembly elections since 2003. Switching party loyalties was not much of a bother for Tripathi, who won first two assembly elections by his Brahmin voters outreach in a constituency, where Brahmins are much ahead of others in numbers.

Ajay kept party flag fluttering high in Churhat of Sidhi district for 20 years. His father Arjun Singh, Madhavrao Scindia and Kamal Nath were three most influential leaders who dominated the political landscape of the central state of the country for quite long.

Tripathi, now a familiar face in Maihar, a place famous across the state and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh for its temple, had first won the seat on SP ticket in 2003. Next two assembly elections—2008 and 2013 -- he had won on Congress ticket. In 2016 bypoll and later 2018 assembly election, he emerged victorious on the BJP ticket from Maihar seat that is part of mineral-rich Satna district.

Sharad Kol is an MLA from Beohari in Shahdol district.

While it is a bit early to speculate on the fate of the two BJP leaders, one thing looks certain: the suspense won’t last long.