MP bypolls: Jyotiraditya Scindia meets Sachin Pilot, says he's welcome in state

BHOPAL: BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday said he met his former colleague and senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot in Gwalior and that he is welcome to the state to campaign for the November 3 by-elections.

Pilot arrived in Madhya Pradesh for a two-day visit on Tuesday morning to campaign for Congress candidates in Gwalior, Shivpuri, Bhind and Morena districts of the state.

"I met him in Gwalior and welcomed him," Scindia, who quit the Congress in March and joined the BJP, told PTI.

Madhya Pradesh has the tradition of welcoming everyone on its soil, therefore he (Pilot) is also welcome here, said Scindia, the scion of the erstwhile Gwalior royal family.

Asked whether his (Pilot's) presence will make anydifference in the bypolls, Scindia said in a democracy everyone has the right to campaign.

By-elections to 28 Assembly seats in the state are scheduled on November 3.

25 of these seats fell vacant after sitting Congress MLAs resigned and joined the BJP, leading to the collapse of the Kamal Nath-led state government. Most of these rebel Congress MLAs were considered close to Scindia. Besides, three seats fell vacant due to the death of their sitting MLAs.

To a question on his meeting with Pilot before the political crisis in Rajasthan a few months bacck, Scindia said he does not want to comment on the internal affairs of the Congress.

In July, Pilot and 18 other MLAs rebelled against the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan, leading to Pilot's sacking as deputy chief minister and state party chief. Following his patch-up talks with senior Congress leaders, the political crisis was resolved after nearly a month.