'Whatever responsibility given, our religion...': Jyotiraditya Scindia on BJP's second list ahead of MP polls

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a party of workers, and whatever responsibility is given to workers, it is their religion to fulfill it. Scindia made the remark in view of the BJP releasing its second list of 39 candidates for the forthcoming assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh which includes four party MPs and three Union Ministers.

"BJP is a party of workers, whatever responsibility is given to every worker, it is our religion to fulfill that responsibility," Scindia said. The new list of the BJP was announced on Monday hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a massive gathering of BJP workers in Bhopal.

The BJP's second list features three central ministers -- Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of State (MoS) for Food Processing Industries Prahlad Singh Patel, and Minister of State for Rural Development and Steel Faggan Singh Kulaste. 

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Coming down on the Congress party, Scindia said, "Congress creates its narrative within four walls with four people on four pages. The narrative is not created in a closed room. Narrative is not created by limited people by writing on pages. Narrative is created by the people of this country by writing in their hearts. And I have full confidence that nine crore people of Madhya Pradesh have PM Modi in their hearts, just as PM Modi has Madhya Pradesh in his heart."

When asked about Congress alleging BJP's nervousness over fielding of central leaders in its second list, the union minister said that the public would decide within 60 days who panicked and who didn't panic. 

"The Congress Party which has become in the habit of dreaming. The Congress Party which was well described by the Prime Minister yesterday that it (Congress) is such an iron that got rusted. Whatever dreams the Congress keeps dreaming, the public will put the reality before the Congress again as it has done many times before," he added.

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When asked about whether he would be contesting in assembly polls, Scindia only said that he is a party worker. Earlier Congress general secretary in charge of Madhya Pradesh Randeep Singh Surjewala took on the BJP saying that even the presence of 3 central ministers in the candidate list wouldn't save the BJP from losing power.

"After the announcement of these tickets, Shivraj and Scindia are saying that our power is slipping away but let's make sure these leaders lose their power as well. Its clear that the BJP is scared of the image of Malikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. Just look at the anger of the people of MP. 1 CM, 2 Central Ministers and 7 MPs will be unable to save the Shivraj government" said Surjewala in a post on X. 

The state is scheduled to go for the Assembly polls later this year. Through the polls, the state will elect legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies.