BHOPAL: Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath’s son and former Chhindwara MP Nakul Nath’s visit to Bhopal on Saturday has set political circles abuzz, triggering speculation over the emergence of a new power centre within the state Congress.
Nakul Nath hosted a gathering in the state capital to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, his father Kamal Nath’s 79th birthday and a Deepawali get-together.
The event assumed added political significance as it was organised by Nakul Nath in his father’s absence, reportedly due to the senior Nath’s health reasons.
With supporters of the Nath family arriving in large numbers and hoardings featuring Nakul Nath appearing across Bhopal, the gathering is increasingly being viewed as a show of strength by the young Congress leader, who won the Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat in 2019 but lost it in 2024.
Adding fuel to the political buzz were posters put up outside the Madhya Pradesh Congress headquarters carrying the slogan, “Madhya Pradesh ki Majboori Hai, Nakul Nath Jaroori Hai” (Madhya Pradesh’s compulsion is that Nakul Nath is indispensable).
The slogan has fuelled speculation about Nakul Nath being positioned by supporters as a potential future face of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, barely two years ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.
The developments come amid growing discussions over leadership and succession within the state Congress, particularly following remarks by veteran party leader and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh recently.