Congress leader calls Jyotiraditya Scindia, his father Madhavrao 'traitors'

Congress leader Premchand Guddu called Jyotiraditya Scindia and his father Madhavrao Scindia "gaddar" (traitors), apparently taking a dig at them for switching sides.

Guddu, who is contesting from Indore's Sanwer seat, left Congress to join BJP ahead of 2018 Assembly polls. But later after Jyotiraditya Scindia's exit in March, he returned to Congress' fold.

"I had to leave Congress due to traitors. Everybody knows when I was MP. Jyotiraditya Scindia and his family have a history of betraying (people). From Rani Jhansi's killing, we have been opposing them whether it is his paternal aunt or father," Guddu told ANI.

When Madhavrao Scindia left the party, I campaigned against him, he said.

"When I was MP 10 years ago, I said this to Sonia and Rahul said he will betray you someday. I am proved right. I left Congress after he (Jyotiraditya Scindia) insulted me several times. That's why I have to quit Congress for some time. Now when Congress was not in power then I joined Congress," he added.

Speaking about his experience with the BJP, Congress leader Guddu said that he cannot associate with the party due to ideological reasons. "I never campaigned against Congress leaders while I was in BJP," he added.

Responding to Guddu's remark, BJP leader Tulsi Silawat, who is contesting against him in Sanwer, said that he tells lies.

"Does he understand the meaning of traitor? Madhavrao Scindia and Jyotiraditya Scindia has a history in the country. In 2018, he betrayed Congress to join BJP. In 2020, he went back to Congress. Is there any other traitor than him? He tells lies," he said.

Silawat said that Kamal Nath government collapsed as it did not fulfil poll promises.

"They said that they will waive loan up to Rs 2 lakh. They promised several things but they were not fulfilled. This is the reasons why this government fell in the leadership of Jyotiraditya Scindia," he said.

Silawat won Sanwer seat in 2018 polls on Congress but resigned from the Assembly membership in March. He was among 22 Congress MLAs resigned from the state Assembly in March this year, paving the way for BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan to take over as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister for the fourth time.

Voting on 28 assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh bypolls will take place on November 3 and the results will be declared on November 10.

By-elections are due on 28 seats following the resignation of 25 MLAs and the death of three legislators earlier.

In the 230-member assembly, the BJP has currently 107 MLAs and Congress 88. There are 4 independent MLAs, 2 from BSP and a lone Samajwadi Party MLA.