Important for Cong to project a face in election: Scindia

How do you see the expected Mungaoli and Kolaras bypolls?
I believe that not just the state, in the whole country people are fed up with BJP. The position on the ground with regard to farmers, schools, hospitals, and security of Matri Shakti speaks for itself. The fact that my respected chief minister has to spend one in every two days in both these assembly constituencies that he hadn’t visited in 14 years speaks for itself.
Will the strong show of Congress in Gujarat have an impact on assembly election in MP?
Every state election is fought on state issues.Having said that, this is no longer a fight about BJP or Congress. This is about the fight of 7.5 crore people of Madhya Pradesh and their future. MP has gone down the slippery slope of descent, as opposed to progress, and we need to rescue it.
Will Gujarat youth leaders like Hardik Patel and Jignesh Mevani play a role in MP?
Madhya Pradesh Congress is not short of leadership — be it Kamal Nathji, Digvijaya Singhji, myself, Arun Yadav, Kantilal Bhuriaji or Ajay Singhji. In our respective areas, we are galvanizing workers and giving strength to the party. Of course, we will draw on strengths, not just from Gujarat but from across the country. That’s the concept of star campaigners — to call very strong personalities of all states to campaign in Madhya Pradesh. But at the end of the day, the strength of the state lies in the capability of not only its leaders but more importantly the workers to be able to transcend and transform the challenge into an opportunity.
Will we see in MP a repeat of the so-called ‘soft Hindutva’ that worked for Congress in Gujarat?
I don’t know what this concept of hard or soft Hindutva is. I don’t understand it. I am a Hindu …
Let’s say temple visits …
I have visited temples all my life. I pray every single day but my religion is my private area. I am a Hindu but it does not mean I do not respect or visit other places of worship. That’s the principle of secularism enshrined in our Constitution. If you are covering my temple visits, then you should cover my Gurudwara visits and every single visit to places of worship.
Will we see Rahul Gandhi visit Ujjain?
Rahul Gandhi has always visited temples. It’s not the first time. So have I.
When will Rahul come?
Very soon.
When can we expect a Punjab-style announcement of CM face, and will it be you?
All these decisions are taken by the high command. But I do believe that it is important for Congress across the country. There’s no one size fits all. Every state has its own chemistry, composition, approach, strengths and weaknesses. BJP hasn’t projected a face in all the states. They didn’t project a face in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. With great difficulty they finally projected one in Himachal Pradesh. Why only assembly elections, I believe that even a ward, panchayat or janpad election, people need to see a face. People of India have changed, people want to know who they are going to repose their faith in for the next five years. So I believe that a political party that has talent and capability must put forward a face. In many states, it may work, in some it may not. That’s the chance you have to take.
Will it be you?
I have no idea and I do not comment. My answer to you is not on a Madhya Pradesh level but at the pan-India level. And I certainly do believe that where you have capabilities you must project a face.
How important was the Chitrakoot bypoll win?
Oh very. It was extremely important. Chitrakoot and Ater before that, every incremental step for us is extremely important. I do believe that we have to take every single challenge with utmost seriousness and we have to be able to deliver on every single challenge, only then will our party be strengthened.
Digvijaya Singh is on his Narmada Parikrama. Is it helping Congress build a ground connect?
Connect with people? Absolutely. There are probably only a handful of people who will be able to undertake such a feat — walking 3,400km is no easy task. It requires huge amount of commitment, dedication, fortitude and he has all those capabilities in plenty. I am sure it will pay rich dividends to him personally as well. We all are eagerly waiting for him to culminate his yatra so that he can rejoin us, invigorate us and guide us.
When are we going to see all Congress leaders together?
We are charting a plan and you will see us on the ground soon.