Scindia steps in to save jobs of 2 ministers

Bhopal: he move to “drop” two ministers in the Kamal Nath ministry following a fracas involving them at Wednesday’s meeting of state cabinet has been “suspended” following intervention by AICC general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia.

A senior Congress leader told this newspaper here on Friday that Mr Scindia successfully mounted pressure on Congress high command to restrain chief minister Kamal Nath from sacking the two state ministers, Govind Singh Rajput and Pradyumna Singh Tomar. The two state cabinet ministers were considered Mr Scindia’s loyalists.

The two ministers had an exchange with the chief minister at the state cabinet meeting held here on Wednesday leading the latter to lose his cool. Later, the chief minister had reportedly drawn the matter to the notice of AICC general secretary in-charge of Madhya Pradesh Deepak Babaria seeking ouster of the two ministers from his cabinet, a senior Congress leader privy to the development disclosed to this newspaper.

“The chief minister was so upset with the unpleasant incident at the state cabinet meeting that he sought removal of the two ministers from his cabinet within 24 hours.

Mr Scindia however put pressure on the chief minister through party high command to relent, thus helping the two ministers save their jobs”, the Congress leader said requesting anonymity.

At least five ministers in the Kamal Nath cabinet belonging to Mr Scindia’s camp had earlier complained lack of cooperation from the secretaries.