BHOPAL: In the battle to grab eyeballs ahead of elections, Congress scored an eye-popper by roping in chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan 's brother-in-law Sanjay Masani on Saturday. He lived up to the billing by saying: "Madhya Pradesh no longer needs Shivraj Singh Chouhan, it needs Kamal Nath ."It was a sort of counterattack of sorts by Congress a day after a former Digvijaya Singh loyalist, Premchand Guddu, switched to BJP. And it's a repeat of what happened in December 2003 - less than a week after Congress was routed in the election, Digvijaya's brother walked out of Congress and joined BJP (he is now back with Congress).Sanjay Masani joined Congress in the presence of PCC president Kamal Nath and party MP Jyotiraditya Scindia at the AICC office in Delhi. Flanked by the Congress heavyweights, CM Chouhan's brother-in-law said, "Thirteen years (Chouhan's tenure in office) is a long time, and now someone else should get the opportunity. It's time for Kamal Nath."BJP is fielding those with big names, rather than those who work for the party. The dynastic rule that BJP opposed is now flourishing within the party. Workers’ hard work is being ignored and leaders’ children are being given tickets to contest. Shivraj Singh Chouhan did not listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is opposed to dynastic rule. Other workers should be given opportunity. Unemployment is the biggest problem in MP and for the past 15 years the BJP government promised to bring industries to give jobs but made little difference,” he added.Masani has for 13 years been an eyesore for Congress. All this while, Congress had been accusing him of being part of various irregularities in the state.BJP’s reaction was a shrug of the shoulders. “We cannot stop anyone from going. This is a democracy and everyone has rights. In which party was Vijayaraje Scindia and in what party was her son Madhavrao Scindia?” asked BJP national vice-president Prabhat Jha.Who is Masani targeting by mentioning dynastic rule? In the first list of BJP candidates announced on Friday, there were three sons and a brother who got tickets — forest minister Gauri Shankar Shejwar stepped down for his son Mudit in Sanchi, Union minister Thavar Chand Gehlot’s son Jeetendra has been fielded from Alot, and MoS Harsh Singh’s son Vikram will contest Rampur-Baghelan in his place. Harsh Singh has been unwell for two years.State Congress media committee chairperson Shobha Oza said, “Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s bad governance is making everyone, including the party’s MLAs, ministers, district panchayat presidents and even his family members, to rush towards Congress. Even BJP workers are tired of the mafia raaj and corruption, and see new hope in Congress and its ideology. The brother-in-law has left his Jija’s side. At this hour, when defeat is imminent, even Chouhan’s family has lost faith in him.” She said this development will make no difference to Congress’ promise to put culprits of Vyapam scam and illegal mining in prison if the party comes to power.This happened just four days after Congress tried to rope in another Chouhan kin, OBC leader Gulab Singh Kirar, but dropped him like a hot potato within a few hours after protests within the leadership since Kirar is an accused in the Vyapam scam.

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