Scindia could have been CM in Cong but now BJP backbencher: RaGa

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a jibe at his once close friend and former party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, saying he could have become chief minister with the Congress but has become a backbencher in the BJP, IANS reported.

The former Congress chief's remarks came during the two-day national executive meeting of the Indian Youth Congress here.

According to sources, while speaking to the Youth Wing of the party about the importance of Congress organisation, Mr Gandhi said, "He (Scindia) would have become the Chief Minister had he stayed with Congress but has become a backbencher in the BJP. Scindia had the option to strengthen the organisation by working with Congress workers. I told him - One day you will become the Chief Minister. But he chose another route."

The source added that Rahul Gandhi also said that Scindia will never be able to become a Chief Minister while staying in BJP.

"Accept the fact that he will never be made the Chief Minister in the BJP. He will have to come back to Congress to become a Chief Minister," Gandhi was quoted by the source.

Scindia was one of the Congress leaders who could call on Rahul Gandhi at any point of time. He had a free pass to the former Congress President's home. However, Scindia left the party in March last year, orchestrating the collapse of the Kamal Nath-led government in Madhya Pradesh.

Scindia has been made a Rajya Sabha member by the BJP. He had lost the 2019 Lok Sabha polls to K.P. Singh Yadav despite contesting from his traditional seat of Guna, which was considered a family bastion of the Scindias in Madhya Pradesh.

In his resignation letter to the party on March 9 last year, Scindia had said that he was unable to work in the party and Sonia Gandhi had the knowledge of the same.

To a question by a youth leader about turncoats who have returned to the party fold, the source quoted Gandhi as saying, "The Congress is like a sea. Here everyone following the ideology of the party are welcome. And those who do not follow the ideology of the party can leave anytime."

After the Youth Congress meet, Rahul Gandhi tweeted: "Met with IYC colleagues and discussed national issues. At every step, we have to wage a non-violent struggle against the RSS mentality - so that India's diversity and culture does not come under fire."