india

Updated: Mar 13, 2020 01:53 IST

Recalling the services of his grandmother, the late Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia, and father, the late Madhavrao Scindia, to Indian society, former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday that his family had never deviated from the path of truth and public service in overcoming the worst of challenges.

Scindia on Thursday evening arrived in Bhopal on his first visit to Madhya Pradesh, his home state, after joining Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi on Wednesday, a day after he ended his 18-year association with the Congress.

He received a rousing reception en route from the Raja Bhoj Airport to the state BJP headquarters, a distance of about 13 kilometers. Scindia was accompanied by Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar, BJP national vice-president Shivraj Singh Chouhan, leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Gopal Bhargava, state BJP president VD Sharma, former minister Narottam Mishra and others.

Addressing a gathering of party workers at the state BJP headquarters, Scindia said, “Whenever the Scindia family head was challenged, whether it was Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia in 1967 or my father Madhavrao Scindia in 1990, when false charges were levelled against him, they accepted the challenges and overcame them.”

He said he himself had raised his voice to call for employment to the young and loan waivers for farmers. When he said the promises contained in the Congress’s 2018 assembly elections manifesto would have to be fulfilled or he would take to the streets, the response from some party leaders was: “Let him.”

He said he had always believed in following his family’s tradition of service to the people. For this, politics was just a means. Power had never been his goal, he said.

Scindia said, “I have come to the BJP with just one thing— my hard labour to serve people and society. I will stand by the party workers. If you shed one drop of sweat, I will shed 100 drops and if need be I will not hesitate in shedding my blood.”

Scindia, who has been declared a BJP candidate for a Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh, will file his nomination papers on Friday.

New BJP leader calls on Rajnath and Shah

A day after he joined the BJP and was announced as the party’s candidate for a Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh, Jyotiraditya Scindia met Union home minister Amit Shah and Union defence minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi.

Announcing the meeting on Twitter, Shah said that Scindia’s induction into the party will further strengthen BJP’s resolve to serve the people of Madhya Pradesh.

“I am sure his induction into the party will further strengthen BJP’s resolve to serve the people of Madhya Pradesh,” he tweeted.

Earlier in the day, Scindia met Singh at the latter’s residence.

Welcoming Scindia to the BJP, Singh said his joining will help in further strengthening the party.

“Met with Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia today. I welcome him to the BJP. His joining will help in further strengthening the party. I extend my best wishes to him in all his endeavours,” the defence minister tweeted.