Will he join BJP? Nath loyalists in Delhi amid rumours

Bhopal: Around half a dozen Madhya Pradesh MLAs loyal to senior Congress leader Kamal Nath reached Delhi on Sunday, accentuating the speculation that he and his MP son Nakul Nath are set to join the ruling BJP.

In MP capital Bhopal, Nath's Congress colleague Digvijaya Singh expressed confidence that his “old friend” won't forsake the party from where he began his political journey, even as a picture of a flag, with ‘Jai Shri Ram' written on it, purportedly flying at Nath's Delhi home provided enough fodder to social media users.

According to party insiders, MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari remained busy through Saturday establishing contact with his MLAs and telling them that Nath and his son won't cross over to the BJP.

Nath (77), a nine-time MP from Chhindwara and currently MLA from the seat, is a former chief minister who was removed as the party's state president following the Congress' dismal performance in the November Assembly polls.

The party also did not pick Nath, an astute politician who had worked with three generations of the Gandhi family, as its nominee from MP for Rajya Sabha polls.

In 1979, then prime minister Indira Gandhi had described him as her third son when she introduced him to the people of Chhindwara at a public meeting ahead of the 1980 Lok Sabha polls.

Nath's friendship with Indira Gandhi's son Sanjay Gandhi was a much-discussed topic then. (PTI)