Kamal Nath: A Senior Congress Leader With Undeniable Political Clout
As reports around Congress’ senior leader Kamal Nath’s potential political switch to the BJP are grabbing headlines, here is a short summary on who was Kamal Nath in the Congress party.
Born in Kanpur in 1946 in a business family, he has been in electoral politics since 1980, being an elected representative in the 7th Lok Sabha. Known for his close association with the Nehru-Gandhi family, Mr kamal Nath was even called “a third son” of hers by India”s former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
From 1980 onwards, Kamal Nath has been contesting elections and emerging victorious, making him an indisputable leader in the Indian National Congress (INC). From 1991 to 95, he served as the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest. From 1995 to 1996, he became the Union Minister of State for Textiles.
In his sixth term in parliament, he became a Member, of the Standing Committee on Petroleum and Chemicals Member, Committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme Member, the Consultative Committee, Ministry of Power. During his 7th term Lok sabha tenure beginning in 2004, Kamal Nath secured a cabinet ministership, becoming the union cabinet minister of commerce and industry. In 2009 in his eight-time Lok Sabha tenure, Mr Kamal Nath became the Union cabinet minister of road transport and highways. Then he switched departments between the Union Cabinet Minister of Urban Development and the Union Cabinet Minister of Parliamentary Affairs till 2014.
Again for the 9th time, Kamal Nath was re-elected to Lok Sabha when the grand old party suffered a massive loss to the BJP. From then onwards. With Kamal Nath’s long association with Congress, he is considered one of the longest-serving senior members in the party. He has also proved his calibre in electoral politics by being elected nine times from the Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency of Madhya Pradesh.
In 2018, he became the president of Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee. During the 2018 assembly election, he led the party to victory and assumed as chief minister of the state in the same year. However, due to the lack of a majority in government, he was forced to resign from the position in 2020.
Kamal Nath has also served as the party’s general secretary from 2001 to 2004. Apart from all this, Mr Kamal is considered one of the proponents of India’s business development, with adequate business awareness and vision. He has been credited with promoting trade, inviting foreign investment and enhancing exports.
Despite Mr Kamal Nath reportedly favouring the Nehru-Gandhi family so far, many wonder about the reports of the leader’s decision to switch to a party that constantly slams the Congress party for its alleged dynastic politics. According to the report, the senior congress leader is bracing for a big political switch by joining the BJP, as sources say that the people in his constituency want him to join the BJP, NDTV reported. The leader also removed the name Congress from his social media bios yesterday, signalling a potential shit shortly. However, the congress leadership has denied the reports of Mr Kamal Nath’s exit from the party. If the senior leader decides to switch the party, it would certainly be a blow to the grand old party
