Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's brother-in-law Sanjay Singh Masani joined the Congress on Saturday, saying the State needs the party chief Kamal Nath not Chouhan as the CM. Masani is the brother of Chouhan's wife Sadhna Singh.
He joined the Congress in the presence of its Madhya Pradesh unit president Kamal Nath and another senior State leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and said the State needs a leader like Nath not Chouhan.
"Madhya Pradesh does not need Shivraj but Nath. We all know how Chhindwara has been developed and is identified with Kamal Nath. The state also needs to be identified with him," Masani said. Kamal Nath represents Chhindwara in the Lok Sabha.
While he lashed out at the BJP for ignoring "kaamdars" (those who toil) at the cost of "naamdars" (big names), he said he should not be projected as a family member of Chouhan but only as his relative.
"My name is Sanjay Singh Masani. My family lineage and 'gotra' are different," he said. Kamal Nath told reporters that all sections of society are affected by Chouhan's misrule, and the decision of Masani to join the Congress is a reflection of people's wish to chart a new course of development in the State, he said.
Masani has been on the receiving end of Congress criticism on various issues, including corruption. He is known to enjoy good ties with Bollywood celebrities and has been instrumental in bringing several filmmakers to shoot their movies in MP. He has also acted in several such films.
The BJP has been in power in the State since 2003.