Bhopal: The political controversy over the collapse of the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh in 2020 has resurfaced, with senior Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath engaging in sharp exchanges and BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia being at the center of the debate.

In a recent interview, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh claimed that differences between Kamal Nath and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia led to the fall of the Congress government just 15 months after it was formed. Singh alleged that the “understanding” between Nath and Scindia regarding governance was ignored, and despite his efforts to mediate through mutual contacts, commitments in the Gwalior-Chambal region were not honoured.

Kamal Nath responded on social media platform X, stating that “digging up old matters is of no use,” but acknowledged that Scindia’s resentment played a decisive role in the government’s fall. Nath said, “Apart from personal ambition, Scindia felt Digvijaya Singh was running the government. In this resentment, he broke Congress MLAs and toppled our government.”

While on a tour in Guna district, Jyotiraditya Scindia dismissed Singh’s remarks as “a matter of the past” and declined further comment. These exchanges have reignited political debate in the state.

BJP minister Vishwas Sarang demanded that Kamal Nath reveal who was “running the government from behind the scenes,” while asserting that Scindia joined the BJP without any personal power bargain. Congress spokesperson Neelabh Shukla countered, claiming the government fell solely due to Scindia’s “excessive ambition and hunger for power.”

The Congress had formed the government in December 2018, winning 114 seats against BJP’s 109, with support from BSP, SP, and independents. However, in March 2020, Scindia left Congress, joining the BJP along with 22 loyalist MLAs, reducing the Kamal Nath government to a minority. On 20 March 2020, Kamal Nath resigned, paving the way for BJP’s return to power.