How Indira ka haath Kamal Nath pipped Scindia to post of MP CM

Bhopal, Dec 14: Kamal Nath will take over as the new Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, a key state of India. His name was chosen following hectic parleys and finally Kamal Nath pipped Jyotiraditya Scindia to the top post.

Nath has always been an important player in the Congress. Many may recall the famous statement by Indira Gandhi, when she had called him her third son. He had helped her a great deal in taking on the Morarji Desai led regime in 1979.

He was also part of the seventh Lok Sabha, which had a group of young MPs, who were termed as Sanjay ke Chokre (Sanjay Gandhi's boys). There was also a slogan those days which suggested his importance among the Gandhi family- "Indira Gandhi ke do hath Sanjay Gandhi, Kamal Nath."

While addressing party workers in Madhya Pradesh, he said that it was never thought that Indira Gandhi would return to power from the years 1977 to 1980. When Indira went to jail, he too went to jail. When Sanjay Gandhi went to jail, so did I, he recalled.

He also played a major role when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister. He was made an advisor when Rajiv Gandhi faced a challenge from V P Singh in 1987.

One of the reasons for choosing him over Scinidia was the fact that he had tactically managed to project the Congress as a party that promotes Hindu causes. It may be recalled that he had written an open letter to Lord Shiva seeking his blessings for the people and also to end the BJP's misrule in the state.

He also promised to build a cow shelter in the states, 23,026 gram panchayats if elected to power. He had also built a 101 foot Lord Hanuman statue near his constituency, Chindwara.