Bhopal (PTI): Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath on Monday asserted he is "proud to be a Hindu", but he is not a "fool" and claimed Indian culture is facing attack and the Constitution going into wrong hands, in remarks aimed at the BJP in a state where Assembly polls are due by the year-end.
Nath made the comments while addressing a function organised to mark International Labour Day in Bhopal's BHEL township, where religious slogans like "Jai Hanuman" and "Jai Siya Ram" were raised from the dais.
Highlighting how various festivals are celebrated in BHEL township due to its migratory population, the former chief minister, apparently seeking to counter BJP's Hindutva plank, said, "I am a Hindu. I am proudly saying I am a Hindu, but I am not a fool. This should be understood."
He said people have been living under one flag with harmony despite diversity of caste and religion.
"Our culture is being attacked . The Constitution of Dr B R Ambedkar is going into wrong hands," said the Congress leader in an indirect criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Nath said every section of society is facing problems in the state under the BJP rule.
"There is a big challenge before people. The picture of the entire state is in front of you. Every section of society is facing difficulties. There is a big challenge for the future of farmers, youths, businessmen. This is not a challenge of any party," he told the gathering.
The former Union minister maintained people have to decide if they want to save their own future or that of the saffron outfit, which is ruling Madhya Pradesh for nearly two decades barring eighteen months in 2018-20 when the Congress was in power.
Nath said talking about "mandir-masjid" will not generate employment. For creating new jobs, there is a need to increase economic activities, he said while accusing Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of speaking lies and making false promises on employment front.
He announced that if the Congress comes to power in the state Assembly polls, it would declare a holiday on International Labour Day.
Former Union minister Suresh Pachouri, Congress MLAs Arif Aqueel (Bhopal North) and Arif Masood (Bhopal Central) were also present at the programme.
The Nath-led Congress government, which assumed office in December 2018 after 15 years of BJP rule, collapsed in March 2020 after 22 party MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia, now Union Civil Aviation Minister, rebelled and later joined the saffron party.
After this, the BJP came back to power and Chouhan once again became chief minister.
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Bengaluru, Feb 17 (PTI): Amid speculations about leadership change in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said it is for the Congress high command to decide.
There have been talks in the state's political circles, especially in the ruling Congress party, about a chief minister change later this year, under a "rotational chief minister" or "power-sharing" formula.
"It is for the high command to decide," Siddaramaiah told reporters in response to a question on discussions about leadership change.
Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, is a strong chief ministerial aspirant and has made no secret of his ambition to become the CM.
There have been time and again attempts by a section of party leaders and workers to project Shivakumar as the next chief minister.
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There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.
There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.
A section of party leaders, especially ministers considered close to Siddaramaiah, have been pitching for him to complete the full term as chief minister, stating that he was indispensable to the party if it wanted to retain power in the next election. These activities are notwithstanding Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's warning last month asking his party colleagues to 'shut up' and focus on governance, amid public statements from them on the leadership change issue.
A section consisting of ministers from SC/ST communities had even held dinner meetings last month, which was seen as an attempt to revive the demand for a Dalit or an AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) to become the next chief minister, in case Siddaramaiah demits office.