Joining BJP not right option, Jyotiraditya Scindia’s cousin says

Kirit Pradyot Debbarman believes it was wrong of his cousin Jyotiraditya Scindia to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“Jumping on to the BJP bandwagon is not the right option,” he said. “We should sit down and find ways as to how we can contribute for the country in a situation where the Congress leadership seems unwilling to give space to the youth."

The former Tripura Congress chief and member of Manikya dynasty’s comment came hours after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had earlier said that it was the Gwalior royal’s concerns for his political future that prompted him to switch. Debbarman also said that, by virtue of his long-standing rapport with Scindia, he is certain that his ideologies do not align with that of the saffron party.

Debbarman, who himself quit the Congress and stepped down from the position of the Tripura Congress chief, exhorted the need for Rahul Gandhi to connect with young leaders of the party.

A News18 report quoting IANS stated that the Tripura royal alleged that the senior Congress leaders had refused to give a chance to the young guns and systematically side-line them.

Admonishing his cousin’s move, he said: “Jumping on to the BJP bandwagon was not right. We should sit down and find ways as to how we can contribute to the country in a situation where the Congress leadership seems unwilling to give space to the youth.”

Debbarman further said it was time for all the young leaders of Congress party to work together to find ways to give the country an effective Opposition, naming Sachin Pilot and Ajoy Kumar as leaders who would be able to take on the task.

Throwing caution to the air, the miffed leader said the formation of another Centrist party might be in the offing if the Congress did not already wake up to fight the BJP.

Claiming that he was only echoing the thoughts of the Gandhi scion, Debbarman reminded how Rahul had mentioned in his resignation letter that the senior Congress leaders were indulging abundantly in favouritism instead of thinking about the welfare of the party.

Scindia ended his 18-year-long allegiance to the Congress party rather unceremoniously earlier this week to join hands with the BJP. As the optics laid out, the rift within Madhya Pradesh Congress became apparent, with Scindia and Chief Minister Kamal Nath challenging each other to welfare duels.