Bollywood evergreen characters 'Jai-Veeru, Gabbar' enter Madhya Pradesh politics ahead of assembly polls

By Vishal Yadav
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], November 1 : With assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh next door, the political parties are campaigning in full swing and the round of raising allegations has also been intensified.
Meanwhile, the reel characters of famous superhit Bollywood movie 'Sholay' have found a real character space in the Madhya Pradesh politics. Recently, a Congress leader has compared the friendship of former chief ministers Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh as 'Jai-Veeru' while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is claiming the duo as thieves.
After that former CM Singh on Wednesday claimed they (referring to BJP) looted the state for 20 years like 'Gabbar' (Villain of Sholay movie).
These reel characters entered the state politics after former CM Kamal Nath made a remark about tearing the clothes of Digvijaya Singh and his son Jaivardhan Singh at his residence in Bhopal last month. Nonetheless, Kamal Nath later clarified on his remark and said that he said it jokingly out of love and there was nothing to be angry about it.
"I said this jokingly out of love and no one should be angry over this. I am saying that there is nothing to be angry about. Digvijaya Singh and I have a relationship of 40 years," Nath had said.
But the matter did not end here, it slowly kept escalating as a internal conflict within the party following which Congress Rajya Sabha MP and General Secretary in-charge of Madhya Pradesh, Randeep Surjewala intervened into the matter and claimed that the there was not any resentment between the duo (Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh). They share friendship like Jai-Veeru.
Meanwhile, addressing the media persons in Bhopal on Wednesday, state BJP chief VD Sharma said, "The duo (Jai-Veeru) was a declared thief. If they (Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh) like them (Jai-Veeru) then the public will answer the duo (Nath and Singh). We talk about development."
Earlier, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also claimed the Jai-Veeru duo (Nath and Singh) as thieves.
After CM Chouhan's remark, former CM Kamal Nath on Tuesday (October 31) wrote on X (formerly twitter), "Shivraj ji, it was Jai and Veeru who fought against the tyrannical Gabbar Singh (referring to CM Chouhan). Madhya Pradesh has been suffering from atrocities for the last 18 years. The time has come for the end of atrocity. Rest you (Chouhan) are sensible."
Besides, reacting to CM Chouhan's remark, Congress leader Singh on Wednesday said, "Leave this issue (Jai-Veeru). For the last 20 years, they (BJP) have looted the state just like Gabbar Singh. The issue is not of the 'Jai-Veeru' and 'Gabbar Singh'. The main issue is that people are fed up with their (BJP) lies, corruption and unfair treatment of the poor and farmers."
Corruption is everywhere so stop talking in filmy style and come on the real issue. Madhya Pradesh is going backwards. They (BJP) talk about overcoming the Bimaru state but did not overcome. The Health and Education facilities are checked in the Bimaru state and the condition of the state is poor in both things, Singh added.
Madhya Pradesh is one of the five states set to hold elections this year. The state is scheduled to undergo polls in one phase on November 17 and the counting of votes will take place on December 3. Voters will choose legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies.