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  • Tracking the other Scindia: 'There is no Scindia vs Scindia 'match fixing' in Madhya Pradesh,' says Yashodhara Raje Scindia
This story is from November 15, 2018

Tracking the other Scindia: 'There is no Scindia vs Scindia 'match fixing' in Madhya Pradesh,' says Yashodhara Raje Scindia

Tracking the other Scindia: 'There is no Scindia vs Scindia 'match fixing' in Madhya Pradesh,' says Yashodhara Raje Scindia
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Key Highlights
  • Yashodhara insists that there is no Scindia vs Scindia “match-fixing" in Madhya Pradesh
  • Businessman Amit Jain however says that it is a “fixed match” between the two Scindias and the public is turning out the loser
  • Yashodhara believes it’s the spirit of public service that animates the family
SHIVPURI: Yashodhara Raje Scindia, current commerce and industries minister in the Madhya Pradesh government and BJP MLA from Shivpuri is perhaps the least known of the political Scindias. While her sister Vasundhara Raje battles it out in Rajasthan and nephew Jyotiraditya Scindia is spoken of as a possible Congress chief minister in Madhya Pradesh, Yashodhara Raje Scindia is working quietly in what has slowly become her bastion of Shivpuri in the Gwalior district.

Is she worried about anti-incumbency this time? “We are very hard working government. I have worked very hard in my areas,” Yashodhara tells TOI. “Logically when a government works hard, people can see that, so by that logic there is no anti incumbency. Our government has struck a chord. There’s a thread of attachment with the chief minister which is very strong, he is called ‘mama’ Shivraj.”
But with Jyotiraditya a Congress heavyweight and MP from Guna, and the dominance of the “mahal” (or Scindia royal family) in the politics of the region, is there some amount of “match-fixing” between aunt and nephew in which each makes sure the other doesn’t lose even though they belong to different parties?
Yashodhara insists that there is no “match-fixing”. However the rules of engagement are clear: the Scindias will never contest against each other. “There is no match fixing between Scindia vs Scindia, it’s about the work we do,” says Yashodhara Raje. “My nephew and I may be in different parties but we’re in very different situations. He is running for chief ministership, I already have my chief minister and my job is to make sure I work at my responsibilities as a member of my chief minister’s party. There may be differences in view, but we all respect each other, I respect my mother, my sister my brother, my nephew.”
Yashodhara’s constituency Shivpuri does look a little worse for wear. The roads are broken and pot-holed, the buildings look shabby and there are no significant signs of progress. In the town centre, locals gather to share their views with TOI. “The BJP government is suspicious of Yashodhara because of her Congress connection and because she is a Scindia,” says retired official BK Sharma, “she is left to fend for herself and that’s why no major development work comes here.” At a recent function in Bhopal, Yashodhara had reportedly walked out of a meeting because her mother’s, Rajmata Vijaye Raje Scindia, one of the founders of the BJP, portrait had not been put up. BJP president Amit Shah was quick to recognize the importance of ‘mahal’ in the politics of Shivpuri, Gwalior and Guna districts and declared that the BJP will celebrate Rajmata Scindia’s birth centenary by statues, postage stamps and naming government buildings. So is Yashodhara in politics because she is her mother’s daughter? “My mother’s views, her astitva, are immortalized within me,” says Yashodhara.

“Her spirit is within me. I respected my mother’s wish that I should also work for society. And my mother is someone who never benefitted personally from the party. She travelled the length and breath of the country, knitting the BJP together but never once charged the party any money even for her train tickets. In fact being my mother’s daughter is a burden I carry—to live up to the people’s expectations, the party’s expectations. But I have worked hard and I believe I have won my spurs.”
Says Shivpuri writer Pramod Bhargava, “In this region those who win elections are only those whom the “mahal” or Scindia palace favours. Why do you think the Congress keeps putting up weak candidates against Yashodhara? Because the nephew does not want his bua to lose. At the 11th hour, every Congress worker will get calls to begin to work for the BJP candidate.”
So is this dynasty in action? “Completely false,” counters Yashodhara strongly. “We have had nothing handed to us on a platter, we have to work very hard. This is what my mother wanted us to do and we do it. As for dynasty, I don’t know what you mean by that nomenclature. Don’t business leaders sons and lawyers sons follow their parents lead? Its not about dynasty, its about a public commitment of my entire family.”
Why attack Rahul Gandhi for dynasty politics then? “This is election time and I refuse to comment on that. I am opposing the nomenclature of dynasty the way you are using it.”
Businessman Amit Jain however says that it is a “fixed match” between the two Scindias and the public is turning out the loser. “Only when there is open political competition can there be real development as politicians have to work. When they know they will always win because of family name, then where’s the incentive to deliver real growth and opportunities?” Jain says business opportunities are declining in Shivpuri and he has moved his operations to Indore. Somya Khandelwal a Ph D student says across Madhya Pradesh opportunities for young people are bleak: “ “Mama” (Shivraj) ne budget lagaya, puts money into high profile summits but they don’t yield job opportunities for us.”
“The Ladli Lakshmi scheme for girls exists but that doesn’t mean any girls are being able to get jobs,” says another student Aaastha. Says advocate Sanjeev Bilgaiya, “the people of Shivpuri hanker for bread and butter issues and the one good thing we have got from the Scindias is that there is no goondagardi in this region. The goons are kept away by the Scindias.” Says senior journalist Ashok Kotecha: “For this entire region of Shivpuri, Guna and Gwalior its Scindia Sharanam Gachchami. The Scindia influence is very strong here. But they do a lot of development. Madhavrao Scindia I (Madhavrao’s grandfather) brought in water and sewer lines as well as engineering and medical colleges. The later Madhavrao (Madhavrao II) has done tremendous work for Gwalior, whatever development work exists in Gwalior is because of him.”
Yashodhara believes it’s the spirit of public service that animates the family. “Yes, as far as we as a family are concerned, we never contest against each other or fight each other or fight for the same seat. But that doesn’t mean we don’t work 365 days a year 24*7 in our constituencies. In every village there are 20-40 yojanas. Every vidhayak sits with district officers to see that the yojanas are working.”
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About the Author
Sagarika Ghose

She keeps a hawk's eye on shifting political sands

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