Scindia wants loyalist as MP Congress chief

A close aide of Scindia said that "Scindia wants his choice as the state president. He can go to any extent to get it done. He has told the high command about this and if they ignore his demand then he may even leave the party. No one knows what direction his politics will take if he leaves."

While Scindia has sternly told the party high command about the matter, there is also talk of him hobnobbing with the BJP leadership in Delhi which he has neither confirmed nor denied.

Sources said of the 114 MLAs in the state, 25 were given tickets from Scindia's quota. Fifteen of these will stand by Scindia if he leaves while the other 10 are said to be with Scindia's state rivals Digvijaya Singh and Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

Scindia's closeness with the BJP is no secret as the Gwalior royals have not been unacceptable to the saffron party and Sangh Parivar, be it his late father Madhavrao Scindia, grandmother Vijayaraje Scindia, and aunts Vasundhraraje and Yashodhraraje Scindia who are currently in the BJP.

News of Scindia's purported meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah is also doing the rounds.

Scindia was expecting that on returning to power after 15 years, the party would make him Chief Minister but it did not happen. He was also hoping to become the state party chief but has faced resistance from the Digvijaya faction.

Scindia has received support from all quarters as demands to make him the state chief have arisen in the form of hoardings and banners and even dharnas by workers.

State party secretary Vikas Yadav said Scindia had been subjected a "use and throw" attitude with his services utilised at the time of elections only to be sidelined at the time of power sharing.

The Scindia royals wield considerable influence in the Gwalior-Chambal belt in central India across 10 seats where the BJP is looking to decimate the Congress while taking advantage of Scindia's dissatisfaction.

( With inputs from IANS )