By Anurjay Dhal
BHUBANESWAR: Call it Muku-Jay plays their Cards- Read PNG-Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP National VP-Spokesperson Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda played their cards with the Scion of the famous Scindia Dynasty of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, who stepped down from Congress and on Wednesday formally joined the Saffron Establishments, the place which was remained in heart and soul of his Grandmother late Rajamata Vijayaraje Scindia , one of the longest serving MP of BJP from Madhya Pradesh and close aids of late Vajpayee Ji ,veteran LK Advani Ji and as well as RSS veterans late Rajju Bhhaiyyaji , late Nanaji Deshmukh Ji, KS Sudarshanji.
Even despite strong family background with mass vote bank , both late Madhabrao Scindhia and his son Junior Scindhia could not able to Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.Besides, his Grandmother Vijayaraje, his two aunts former Rajasthan Chief Minister Basundhara Raje and former Madhya Pradesh Minister Yasodhara Raje was with BJP while his late father Madhabrao Scindhia was with Congress till his death in 2001.
Since his father’s death, Jyotiraditya, the young face of Congress in Central India, stepped into politics and represented Guna Parliamentary seat of Madhya Pradesh in Lok Sabha and also served in Dr Manmohan Singh Cabinet.
After joining BJP, the Junior Scindia while addressing the media at BJP National Headquarters’ in New Delhi, termed Union PNG-Steel Minister Pradhan as ‘KendrakiYoswashhi Mantri and Mera Bhai’ and Panda as ‘Jay Panda Saheb’, which pointed his closeness to both Union Minister Pradhan as well as Party National VP-Spokesperson Panda.
It may be noted here, after his full 6 years terms in Rajya Sabha from Bihar, Dharmendra now representing Madhya Pradesh in Upper House while Panda after his defeat from Kendrapara Parliamentary seat in last polls, has been desperately looking for an ‘Elder Tag’ and hoping that BJP would consider his name for the March 26 Rajya Sabha polls for 56 seats from 18 States including 4 from Odisha.
Soon after Scindhia joined, both Pradhan and Panda hailed him as long-time friend and able leader, who could steered the mission of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sources said, BJP top brasses had in fact, roped in on both Pradhan and Panda to fully convince the Junior Scindhia and it paid well, sources added.
“With Scindia back to Saffron fold, BJP may consider Panda’s name for Rajya Sabha from any of its ruling States for March 26 Rajya Sabha Polls if Pradhan heartily backed him,” said sources in BJP. Panda’s recent campaign on Article 370, CAA-NRC from London to Mumbai to New Delhi to Bhubaneswar to Bangalore has gone well with top brasses of the RSS, the main force behind BJP’s unbelievable successes in past years.
