Growing clout of moneybags in MP politics

NK SINGH

Even as Enforcement Directorate has registered a case of money laundering in the Rs 500 crore Katni hawala scandal, the controversy over the demand for resignation of Sanjay Pathak, a minister in the MP Government, has shown deep ideological fissures in both BJP and Congress.


The Congress, at State as well as at Central level,asked for his scalp. But most top leaders maintained a studied silence, indicating unease. At best they resorted to an occasional tweet or two after the brutal police lathi charge on a Congress rally at Bhopal demanding Pathak’s removal from the ministry.


Apart from State Congress chief Arun Yadav, who was injured in the lathi charge, the only exception was former leader of opposition Ajay Singh.


The BJP also seems to be a divided house. While the leadership is firmly backing Pathak, some prominent leaders of the party,have openly expressed their misgivings.The public agitation being carried out at Katni over the issue too has tacit support of some local BJP and RSS leaders.


Ironically, even as Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was defending Pathak -“mere charges do not prove that someone is guilty” - a ghost video surfaced where Pathak launches a nasty personal attack against the Chief Minister, calling him “arrogant” and openly charges his family members of corruption. 

A Political Turncoat

The news clip was from the earlier phase of Pathak’s life when he was a Congress MLA; he joined BJP just 30 months ago.


The video clip shows Pathak at his aggressive best, brazenly naming Chief Minister’s family members and relatives and accusing them of corruption. “We have recorded proof against these people”, he declares. 


He alleges they are in illegal mining, darkly hinting about a warehouse and dealings of a factory at Kymore, District Katni. Pathak is attacking RSS and BJP too, accusing them of taking law into their hands.


In the era of video recordings and under the ever watchful eye of Big Data, Pathak doesn't enjoy luxury of deniability. He cannot say that he was“misquoted” or “quoted out of context”.


The worst critics of Chouhan acknowledge him as a gentleman. Humility is his best-known trait. Taking criticism in his stride is his style. But he too draws a line. Attacks against his wife and relatives has always been a sore spot with Chouhan.


After his wife was targeted in dumper case (which got clean chit from Lokayukta) and Vyapam (where relief came Supreme Court) he expressed his anguish openly. “I could not sleep at night”, said Chouhan, who feels that his family members suffered for no fault of theirs.


It was surprising when Pathak was included in Chouhan’s ministry five months ago, the guy who had crossed the “laxman rekha” with his wild allegations against Chouhan’s wife and relatives.


46-year-old Pathak is not a loyalist. Coming from a family ofCongressmen, his father being a minister in Digvijay Singh government, Sanjay Pathak defected and joined BJP a few month ago.


Strange bedfellows? Indeed.

Richest politician of MP

Pathak is the richest politician in the State, with declared assets of more than Rs 141 crore. With interests in mining, hospitality and education and known for his colourful lifestyle and love for fancy car, he is liberal with his money and is a good host. His helicopter has been used by practically the who’s who of state politics.


Pathak was a power to reckon with in MP Congress when Suresh Pachuri and Kantilal Bhuria were presidents although he became an MLA for the first time in 2008.


Political grapevine says for years he foot the bill for day to day expenses of MPCC office. He openly boasts of getting Arun Yadav appointed State Congress chief. Apparently Pathak enjoys great clout and loves flaunting it.


During Pathak’s Congress days, BJP dubbed him“mining mafia”. But the moment he joined BJP his purported sins were forgotten. He swiftly wormed his way to the heart of Arvind Menon, former organisational secretary of State BJP, dwarfing all old-timers in Mahakoshal region.

With his talent for getting close to the corridors of power, at present he is considered the blue eyed boy of State BJP chief Nandkumar Singh.


Pathak’s domain, Katni, is MP’s mineral bowel, rich in marble, granite, limestone, bauxite, dolomite and fireclay. His opponents in BJP say he defected from Congress to protect his mining empire, a business that needsstate patronage for survival.


Only an impartial probe can reveal whether Pathak is clean, as he keeps claiming. But if the studied silence of some Congress bigwigs and the continued support of BJP big guns of the State is taken into account, moneybags like him will continue to enjoy clout in the corridors of power.



My column, Powers That Be, in DB Post of 22nd Jan 17.


nksexpress@gmail.com
Tweets @nksexpress