Jyotiraditya challenges Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to a debate

Yesterday, Congress Parliamentarian and former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia challenged Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to a public debate on his governments track record on the development of the state. 

Scindia while addressing the media, asked the government "What is the quantum of 'progress' in Gwalior-Chambal region during 13 years of Bharatiya Janata Party rule? Will comprise an aspect? There are schemes that were approved a decade back and work commenced but is yet to attain completion. This state's crop insurance amounts are the country's lowest. A total Rs 23,000 crore was paid to the sector's companies but only Rs 9,000 crore of claims totalling Rs 16,000 crore were approved. Actual payment was a paltry Rs 45 crore. Not a rupee was provided for developing model villages and health services have collapsed."

The faction riddled Congress in Madhya Pradesh is attempting to put forward a united front and hoping to cash-in on the anti-incumbency against the Chouhan government. The meeting became an occasion to attack Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over the firing on farmers in Mandsaur. It also gave Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia a chance to strengthen his claim on leading the party in the next assembly polls and, most importantly, for the party to recreate the 'spirit of Dabra' from 1993. Just before the 1993 assembly elections, top Congress leaders had come together on the call of the late Madhavrao Scindia at Dabra near Gwalior. The idea then as now was to project a unified Congress state leadership. The Congress went on to win the 1993 elections and remained in power till 2003.

Former Union minister Kamal Nath and ex-chief minister Digvijaya Singh arrived together in Gwalior on Monday morning. They along with state PCC president Arun Yadav, leader of the Opposition Ajay Singh and former Union minister Suresh Pachauri, were among the leaders who were present at the dais with Scindia.

Madhya Pradesh will go into elections in the second half of 2018 will be an essential backdrop which would set the tone and tenor for the 2019 Lok Sabha Election.