Madhya Pradesh minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kailash Vijayvargiya asserted that the saffron party does not need Congress veteran and former state chief minister Kamal Nath and its doors are closed for the latter.

Read here: Will Kamal Nath, son Nakul participate in Nyay Yatra amid BJP switchover buzz? Congress leader replies

While reacting to queries over speculation of Nath switching sides, Vijayvargiya said, “I had said there is no need of Kamal Nath in our party and that’s why its doors were closed for him.”

The state minister’s remarks came amid the rumours of Congress veteran’s BJP switch plan. Meanwhile, several party leaders from Nath’s stronghold MP’s Chhindwara district joined the BJP on Wednesday.

However, several Congress leaders including Digvijaya Singh and the party’s state unit chief Jitu Patwari have refuted the claims of Nath joining the BJP and claimed that the rumours were spread by the BJP and media.

Kamal Nath’s loyalist Sajjan Singh Verma has said that the veteran leader has not made any decision on leaving the grand old party, while the party’s general secretary Jitendra Singh has claimed that the veteran leader and his son Nakul Nath would participate in the grand old party’s ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra when it enters the state.

There has been a buzz among the political corridors that Kamal Nath and his son were likely to end their ties with the Congress.

As per reports, Kamal Nath is said to be disgruntled over not getting a Rajya Sabha seat and also Rahul Gandhi being opposed to him since the party lost the assembly polls late last year.

Read here: Is Kamal Nath leaving? Loyalist reveals what Congress leader told him

In the 2023 Madhya Pradesh elections, the BJP decimated the Congress after winning 163 of the 230 assembly seats. The Congress managed to win just 66 seats. Nath was later replaced as the Madhya Pradesh unit chief.

(With inputs from agencies)