BJP's Yashodhara Raje Scindia describes Jyotiraditya's exit from Congress as 'ghar wapsi'

Jyotiraditya Scindia is all set to join the BJP after resigning from the Congress, his party of 18 years. He made exit from his party following months of disenchantment with his leadership. 

His aunt Yashodhara Raje Scindia, a BJP MLA, describes his exit from the party as "ghar wapsi" and says there were reasons for the younger Scindia to take such a big step, one that was taken decades ago by the Scindia family matriarch, Vijayaraje Scindia.

"We are not mad. There are reasons people get up and take such a big step. He (Jyotiraditya Scindia) has taken a very big step," said Yashodhara Raje.

On Jyotiraditya Scindia's bitter exit from the Congress, Ms Raje said the signs were all there in "the visuals that we saw for the last so many months of my nephew within the Congress..." The connection, she said, had started breaking.

Mr Scindia, 49, has been accused by his critics of making a cynical move, driven by self-interest, at a time the Congress is perceived as a sinking ship.

"The BJP would not have taken him if they did not see value in him as a leader," Ms Raje shot back.

"How many people are not working with even one per cent self-interest in any party? Politics today is not the politics it was 50 years ago when it was all about nation-building...In the end, if a man feels he is capable of contributing to a party and has been in the party all his life...He was a senior leader, a minister," said the BJP leader of her nephew.

Asked whether Jyotiraditya Scindia could expect the same welcome from a BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, as opposed to the party's previous avatar, Ms Raje retorted: "The PM met him yesterday. Why? He chose to meet him, gave him time, and welcomed him. The Scindias are not that bad to deal with."