Shivraj challenges Scindia dynasty

NK SINGH

The last day of March 2017 will always be remembered as apolitical milestone in the history of Madhya Pradesh. That was the day, Shivraj Singh Chouhan became the first BJP chief minister to challenge the politically powerful Scindia dynasty. Addressing an election rally in Bhind, part of the erstwhile Scindia empire, Chouhan shocked everyone, including senior BJP leaders, by launching a frontal attack on the royal family.

In a politically loaded statement, Chouhan said that during the 1857 uprising Scindias “sided with British”. “Ater region had stood with Maharani Laxmibai and not with British. I know that Scindias sided with British and persecuted the people of this region,” he said, praising the people of the poll-bound area for their “ardent patriotism”. Soon minor BJP leaders jumped in the fray, describing the royal family’s history as a “matter of national shame”.

Apparently, Chouhan’s unprovoked attack on the clan was a calculated risk. He was targeting Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, the scion of Gwalior ruling family, who has been camping in the area to win Ater assembly by-election for his party. However, the chief minister was totally unconcerned that the nasty personal attack would hurt not only Jyotiraditya, but also many powerful leaders in BJP who are part of Scindia family.

Scindias are undoubtedly the First Political Family of MP. It enjoys massive clout on both sides of political spectrum. The matriarch, Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia, was one of the leading lights of BJP. One daughter, Vasundhara Raje Scindia, is the BJP Chief Minister of Rajasthan. Another daughter, Yashodhara Raje Scindia, is a senior member of Shivraj cabinet. Their aunt, Maya Singh, is also member of the same cabinet. Vasundhara’s son, Dushyant, is a BJP MP from Jhalawar in Rajasthan.

Rajmata’s only son, Madhavrao Scindia, who never lost an election, was an important leader of Congress. His son, Jyotiraditya, has followed in his father’s footsteps and was a minister in UPA government. In the political lexicon, erstwhile Gwalior princely state is considered a Scindia family stronghold. Madhavrao had once defeated even a heavyweight like Atal Bihari Vajpeyi.

The royal family was involved in a protracted and bitter battle for the vast property and riches of the erstwhile princely state, the biggest and richest in MP. However, in public life they have maintained a certain family etiquette, initially even refusing to campaign against each other in elections, despite nasty personal feuds. When it comes to family honour, the clan speaks in unified voice despite being on different sides of political spectrum.

Chouhan is himself no stranger to the family’s clout. In 2006 his government had issued an order asking officials to address Yashodhara Raje as “Shrimant”, an honorific used normally for feudal lords. Ten years down the line, he has found courage to brand the “Shrimants” as traitors. In one sweep, he has brought BJP out of shadow of Scindia family that had a hovering presence over the party for almost half a century. In a sense, the development signifies Chouhan’s political graduation from meek to strong.

Except DP Mishra, known as ironman of MP politics, no other chief minister of MP has taken up cudgels against Scindias till now. Even Arjun Singh and Digvijay Singh, two former chief ministers, who had no love lost for Scindias, were reverential towards the clan, saving their reservations to themselves.

DP Mishra took on the Scindias, and lost. Legendary ICS officer RCVP Noronha recalls the story of Vijayaraje Scindia’s revolt against Mishra in his autobiography, A Tale Told By An Idiot: “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. The Congress candidates for the 1967 election from the former Gwalior state were selected without consulting her. The Rajmata resigned from Congress and set up her own candidates in the whole of Gwalior area and made a clean sweep.” Subsequently, she pulled down DP Mishra government.

Her political successors are not as spirited. Yashodhara Raje Scindia, was already sulking as Chouhan had cut her down to size, giving her a lightweight department like sports. She is now livid at the public insult to her family. She told a newspaper: “I have to stand up for my motherwho has done so much for the party. She worked relentlessly, even when she was unwell, to resurrect BJP, spending her money. She was respected by one and all. The statement attributed to the CM amounts to an insult.”But there the matter ends.

Chouhan subsequently clarified that he had the “highest regard for Rajmata, who is like a mother to me and lakhs of BJP workers.” But he refused to backtrack. Many other leaders from his party, including the party president, insisted that Scindias had sided with British and persecuted their own people.

Apparently, BJP leadership feels that the days of Scindias’ hegemony over Gwalior region are over. Earlier, it was unthinkable for a BJP chief minister to question the royal family’s patriotism. An era in MP politics has come to and end.

Powers That Be, my column in DB Post of 9 April 2017

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