Digvijay quells hype over next Congress Chief Minister in MP

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh today sought to downplay the hype over the party's next Chief Minister in Madhya Pradesh and said the new MLAs will elect their leader after the assembly polls in November.

He was reacting to queries from mediamen on Union Minister Kamalnath's statement that the state would see a "young" Congress Chief Minister.

"It is his (Kamalnath's) personal opinion. As far as the Congress Chief Minister for Madhya Pradesh was concerned, only statements from Rahul Gandhi, senior leaders Janardan Dwivedi and Ajay Maken should be considered as authentic," Digvijay told reporters here last evening.

He said that as per party policies, the newly elected legislators will pick up the CM.

In a function held here recently, Kamalnath had set tongues wagging in his faction-ridden party, when he said in the presence of Union Minister of State for Energy, Jyotiraditya Scindia, that Congress will give a young Chief Minister after the assembly elections, without taking his name.

Scindia figures on the top among young turks who are in the race for Chief ministership in the state as he is said to enjoy a huge popularity base among party workers.