Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday said that Congress leader Kamal Nath had called him a “dog”, reported PTI. The allegation came a day after the Election Commission removed Nath as star campaigner for the state’s bye-elections for repeated poll code violations.
“Kamal Nath came here and called me a dog,” Scindia said during a rally at Sadora near Bhopal. “Yes, Kamal Nath, I am a dog and the public is my owner. Yes, I am a dog because the dog protects his owner.”
The Congress dismissed Scindia’s claim, with party spokesperson Narendra Saluja saying that Nath had “never used this word for anybody in his speeches”.
Hours after Scindia’s video clip went viral, Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam’s speech in another rally was widely shared. “When Kamal Nath ji was trying to act against a mafia don here, someone protected him like a faithful dog,” he said, in an indirect reference Scindia.
The Election Commission also issued a notice to Krishnam for violating the model conduct by using abusive language for Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. He was given 48 hours to respond.
On Saturday, Nath approached the Supreme Court against the decision of the Election Commission to remove his name from the list of star campaigners for Congress. Nath questioned why the poll body had remained quiet when BJP leaders used “uncivilised, crass and abusive language” against him.
Earlier in the day, he had said: “Star campaigner is neither a post nor a status. I don’t want to comment on EC’s decision, will comment only after 10th November. In the end, public matters the most and they know everything.”
The Election Commission or the law does not define who star campaigners are but they are, in almost all cases, prominent and popular faces of a party who are nominated to campaign in a set of constituencies. Star campaigners are permitted to campaign without their expenses being added to that of the candidates, which are capped.
The bye-elections were necessitated following the collapse of the Nath government in March after Jyotiraditya Scindia had quit the party and joined the BJP along with 22 MLAs.
Bye-elections in the state will be held on November 3. The results will be declared on November 10.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!