He forgot his ideology: Rahul on Scindia's exit

Jyotiraditya Scindia ignored his ideology and decided to go with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh as he feared for his political future, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday, asserting that "his old friend" will neither get respect in the Bharatiya Janata Party, nor will he be satisfied.

Speaking candidly on Scindia's shock move to the BJP after being in the Congress for years, Gandhi recalled his long association with Scindia and said there is a difference between what is in his heart and what he is saying.

While some senior leaders like Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot have been scathing in their criticism of Scindia, Gandhi's response to his quitting the Congress was tempered.

"I know the ideology of Jyotiraditya Scindia ji, he was with me in college. I would keep talking to him, I know him well. Jyotiraditya Scindia feared for his political future and therefore kept his ideology in his pocket and went with the RSS," Gandhi said.

"But the reality is that neither will he get respect there, nor will the truth and emotion in his heart be satisfied. He will come to realise it," he said, adding that he has an old friendship with Scindia.

SEE: Scindia got worried about his political future, says Rahul

A day after quitting the Congress, Scindia joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday in the presence of its president JP Nadda and slammed his former party for "denying reality" and "not acknowledging" new thoughts and new leadership.

On Scindia's move to the BJP, Gandhi said, "This is a clear cut fight of ideologies. On one side is the Congress party's ideology, on the other hand is the RSS-BJP ideology".

Scindia's crossing over to the BJP has left the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh tottering precariously.

Scindia, who was also named as its Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh by the BJP, on Thursday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "competence and complete dedication" to serving India. He had asserted that the country's future is fully secure in Modi's hands.

He had also vented his anguish over the national leadership of the Congress, where he started his electoral career in 2002 and occupied key positions, and also the party-run Madhya Pradesh government.

The Congress is no longer the party it was, he had told reporters at the BJP headquarters, adding that his heart was "anguished and pained" as his goal to serve people through the party was no longer possible.

Scindia had tendered his resignation to party president Sonia Gandhi saying it was now time for him to move on. Gandhi had immediately expelled him from the Congress for anti-party activities.