After Kamal Nath, media reports claim Cong old-timer Manish Tewari giving thought to BJP switch

NEW DELHI: Amid speculations of some big Congress leaders giving thought to switching sides as the Opposition alliance stares at a collapse, media reports claimed that Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP from Punjab's Anandpur Sahib, Manish Tewari, is in touch with the BJP and can jump ship.

However, there was no official word or communication in this regard. A source close to Manish Tiwari said the speculations linking the Congress old-timer to the BJP were all 'rubbish' as he was busy working for the people of his constituency. "He is working for the people of his constituency and the speculations of him joining the BJP are false and unfounded. They are all rubbish and shouldn't even be diginified with a response or clarification," the Congress source said.

However, if the rumours hold and Tewari severs all ties with the Congress to don saffron stripes, it would come as a body blow to the grand old party at a time when another old-timer and former Union minister Kamal Nath is also speculated to be entertaining thoughts of a switchover.

The arrival of Kamal Nath and his MP son Nakul Nath at Delhi airport on Saturday, leaving their ongoing tour of Chhindwara, the preferred Lok Sabha constituency of the Congress stalwart, midway, triggered speculations of him joining the BJP.

Earlier, a post by former Congress leader and current BJP state spokesperson, Narendra Saluja, on X ahead of Kamal Nath's arrival in Delhi gave grist to remour mills. Saluja, on Saturday, posted an image of Kamal Nath with son Nakul, and captioned it 'Jai Shree Ram'.

Further, multiple media reports claimed that the Chhindwara MP, Nakul Nath, removed the word 'Congress' from his bio on all social media handles. However, there was no official confirmation of him doing as he was rumoured to have done. It was claimed, in fact, that he never mentioned Congress in his bio on social media handles.

The speculations of further switchovers could hurt the Congress at a time when a clutch of old-timers and seasoned leaders, including former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan, Milind Deora and Baba Siddique, have left the party over the last month, in a major setback ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.