I AM NEITHER a king nor a kingmaker,” Jyotiraditya Scindia said as he brushed aside the label— kingmaker—used to describe his influence heading into the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections on November 17. The Union civil aviation minister has to ensure the BJP’s victory in the Gwalior-Chambal region, part of the former princely state of Gwalior, and he is giving it his all.
Unlike many of his cabinet colleagues from the state, Scindia is not contesting; however, 18 of the 25 loyalists, who left the Congress with him in 2020, are in the fray. The Gwalior-Chambal region, with 34 seats, is a decisive factor in government formation. In 2013, the BJP won 20 seats here; in 2018, the Congress won 26. An emphatic win would cement Scindia’s influence within his new political family.
THE WEEK caught up with him at a rally in Pohari, more than 80km from Gwalior, on November 3. It was his seventh and last of the day, but he showed no signs of fatigue as he arrived in his Toyota Innova to a rousing welcome by party workers who showered flowers on him. As he took the stage, the power went off. Emergency lights came up and Scindia spoke from a semi-lit stage for 15 minutes before power was restored. He was campaigning for his loyalist Suresh Dhakad, a state minister. During the entire speech, Dhakad just stood there with folded hands.
This story is from the November 19, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
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This story is from the November 19, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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