INDORE: BJP Rajya Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is emerging as a strong power centre in the saffron camp and is seen by loyalists as a potential CM candidate in 2023, on Thursday said that all party leaders are working under Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s leadership for Madhya Pradesh’s progress.
“CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan is working hard, day and night, regardless of his health condition, to deal with Covid-19 and flood. He is leading the government. As far as the 2023 polls are concerned, all BJP leaders are working under his leadership. I believe that with his governance, the state will achieve new heights,” Scindia, who is on a Jan Ashirwad Yatra, said.
Asked by some reporters if he wishes to become MP CM, Scindia said, “I have no political ambition. I only wish to get a place in people’s hearts, based on my hard work, capability and my honesty.” He wants to serve the public as a brother and son, he added.
Replying to a question on how opposition leaders accuse him of ‘betrayal’, and say his title of ‘Maharaj’ has changed to ‘Bhai’ after joining BJP, the civil aviation minister said, “Maharaj is my past while Jyotiradtiya Scindia is my present. The Scindia family has a glorious history. My forefathers had fought against the Mughals.”
On inflation and rising fuel prices, Scindia blamed the UPA government, and said India could not become self-reliant due to the 70-year rule of one party. “The UPA government had issued oil bonds of Rs1.6 lakh crore to the companies and we are paying interest of Rs9,995 crore a year for this. The bonds will be redeemed by 2025-26 and with this, we will get rid of the interest,” he said, adding that crude oil prices have increased by 300% in the last two-and-a-half years – from $20 to $60 a barrel.
Inflation is not restricted to India but a global issue, Scindia said. Income and demand have reduced, a shrinkage has been reported in economy worldwide and based on it, inflation is increasing and India is impacted as well, he said.
