A routine review of development projects at the Gwalior Collectorate on Monday, September 15, 2025, exploded into high-stakes political drama as Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia made a triumphant return after 18 months of absence, sending shockwaves through the BJP's ranks in the Gwalior-Chambal region. What was billed as a straightforward meeting under Minister-in-Charge Tulsi Silavat quickly became Scindia's stage, with him dominating proceedings alongside loyalists like Energy Minister Pradhuman Singh Tomar, Minister Narayan Singh Kushwaha, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Singh, Mayor Shobha Sikarwar, and Congress MLA Suresh Raje. Notably absent was Gwalior BJP MP Bharat Singh Kushwaha, whose empty chair symbolized the deepening rift within the party.
Scindia's re-emergence is no accident; insiders reveal that both Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and BJP's central leadership have urged him to reclaim his stronghold in the Gwalior-Chambal belt, once considered his unassailable domain. His previous sidelining stemmed from Kushwaha's public rebuke, dismissing Scindia as the MP for Guna-Shivpuri rather than Gwalior, forcing the Union Minister to the sidelines. But recent frustrations over crumbling infrastructure—pothole-ridden roads, overflowing sewage—have fueled the comeback. Scindia's close ally, Tomar, had publicly lambasted the situation in a cabinet meeting, declaring Gwalior "hell" despite the Chief Minister's attempts to rein him in. Silavat echoed the concerns, amplifying the discontent.
The Collectorate event followed a lavish reception in Morena, Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar's territory, underscoring the escalating rivalry. While Tomar wields significant local influence, Agriculture Minister Edal Singh Kansana appears to be drifting from his fold. Kushwaha, Tomar's staunch supporter, has been sidelined in Bhopal under the CM's oversight. Just days prior, Kushwaha had conducted his own review of development works, but Scindia's entry—his first such meeting as a BJP MP—eclipsed it entirely, with his camp hailing the revival of the "Maharaj era," when Scindia's nod was essential for any progress during his Congress days.
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Tomar has been vocal in his support, proclaiming at Murar Girls College that "Gwalior's wheel of development has stopped. Only you can lead it forward." This was followed by Scindia loyalist MLA Mohan Singh Rathore's scathing critique of the government's Jal Jeevan Mission, noting zero progress in his area. Tomar's "hell" remark preceded Scindia's four-day tour, culminating in Morena where he subtly jabbed at the BJP's underwhelming performance in the recent Assembly elections, securing "only half the seats."
The Monday spectacle, with Scindia at the center, Silavat and Tomar by his side, and Kushwaha nowhere in sight, lays bare the BJP's internal schisms in Gwalior. Scindia's faction feels constrained within the party, lacking the autonomy he once had in Congress, and their grievances are spilling over. The feud has even invaded social media, with Tomar loyalist Sonu Mangal trading barbs with Scindia backer Dinesh Sharma, turning online platforms into battlegrounds that mirror the saffron party's fracturing unity.
As Gwalior's political landscape fractures further, Scindia's bold maneuvers signal a fierce power struggle ahead, potentially reshaping alliances and loyalties in Madhya Pradesh's BJP machinery.
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