New Delhi: The story of Kamal Nath, the veteran Congress leader and former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, is a tale of rise and fall in politics. He was once the closest confidant of Sanjay Gandhi, the scion of the Gandhi-Nehru family, who dominated the political scene during the emergency. He was later hailed as Indira Gandhi’s third son and became a loyalist of Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi. He also transformed his constituency Chhindwara from a backward region to a model district. But now, he is reportedly unhappy with the Congress and in touch with the BJP. How did this happen?

Sanjay Gandhi’s Shadow

Kamal Nath met Sanjay Gandhi when he was studying at Doon College and joined him in politics. He was always seen with Sanjay, sometimes on his left and sometimes on his right. He even drove his jeep on many occasions. He was one of those who stood by Sanjay during the emergency and its aftermath, when the Gandhi family faced a lot of challenges. He even went to jail with Sanjay in 1979, after picking a fight with the judge who had sentenced him in a case. He was a staunch supporter of Sanjay and his policies.

‘Third Son’ Of Indira Gandhi

On December 13, 1980, Indira Gandhi was addressing an election rally in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh. She introduced Kamal Nath to the people of Chhindwara and Madhya Pradesh as her third son after Rajiv and Sanjay. She was impressed by his loyalty and dedication. Kamal Nath started his electoral journey from 1980 and since then he has been winning from Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat. He became a trusted aide of Indira and later Rajiv Gandhi. He also held various ministerial portfolios at the center.

Makeover Of Chhindwara

Kamal Nath had a special bond with Chhindwara, his constituency and work place. He worked hard to develop the region, which was once very backward and lacked basic amenities. He brought in big brands, set up skill development centers, and improved the infrastructure and connectivity. He gave Chhindwara everything that any leader would want to give to his home district or his seat. He also established himself as a businessman and married Alka Nath in 1973. He has two sons, Nakul Nath and Bakul Nath. Nakul Nath is an MP from Chhindwara, while Bakul Nath is involved in business and lives abroad. Some people even consider Bakul Nath as an NRI. He has stayed away from the limelight.

Fall From Grace

The question is how did Kamal Nath suddenly drift away from the Congress. He led the Congress in the last two assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. In 2018, Congress emerged as the largest party with 114 seats, while BJP was second with 109 seats. Kamal Nath became the chief minister of the state and made his son Nakul Nath an MP from Chhindwara in the by-election. But his government collapsed in just 15 months, after Scindia’s rebellion.

He fought the 2023 election under his leadership, but this time BJP won an absolute majority with 163 seats, while Congress remained second with 66 seats. After that, he was stripped of all his responsibilities. Congress blames him for the defeat in the election. Since then, he has been reportedly unhappy with the Congress and in touch with the BJP.