Netam Might Rejoin Cong, Says Mp Minister

Madhya Pradesh minister of state for commercial tax (stamp and registration) Jalam Singh Patel yesterday said there was a possibility that former Union minister Arvind Netam, who had recently joined the Bahujan Samaj Party, might return to the Congress.

Jalam, who was known to be close to Netam told here that he had stated this after observing the fact that many leaders like Arjun Singh, Madhavrao Scindia and V C Shukla, who had left the Congress in the past, had returned back to its fold.

He said that Netam's return to the Congress could be brought about only if the party leaders shunned bitter criticism of Netam and gradually perusaded him to return to the party.

He said that it would be wrong to say that Netam's leaving the party would not have have any impact as he had been a senior Congress leader who wielded influence among tribals.

The minister said that he had no inkling that Netam was going to join the Bahujan Samaj Party or else he would have made efforts to ensure that the former Union minister did not do so.

Meanwhile former Union minister V C Shukla yesterday said the decision of senior Congress leader, Arvind Netam, to leave the party and join the Bahajun Samaj Party was an insulting one for the Congress.

Speaking at a meet the press programme at the Press Club here, he, however, said there was no danger to the party on Netam joining the Bahujan Samaj Party.