Why Jyotiraditya Scindia Decided to Close His Account in Congress and Invest in BJP

That Jyotiradtiya Scindia worked for investment bank Morgan Stanley is a well-known fact, but that, years later, it became a link instrumental in sealing his decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may come as a bit of a surprise.

BJP’s national spokesperson and former investment banker with Deutsche Bank Syed Zafar Islam has had a key role in the former Congress leader switching sides.

The two bankers and another mutual friend discussed Scindia and his political career prospects for over six months till the former Guna MP finally came on board.

Meeting over food at various hotels in Lutyens’ Delhi, the conversation between Zafar, Scindia and the mutual friend often revolved around politics and, in particular, the leadership of the BJP headed by Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and, more recently, around party president JP Nadda’s ‘dynamic personality’.

The talks of asking Scindia to jump ship started about six months ago. It was only around two months ago that the 49-year-old first met Amit Shah, the-then BJP chief. That was not the only meeting. Through the next couple of months till he joined the party, the Guna royal had more than half-a-dozen meetings with the top brass, in particular Shah.

Zafar, meanwhile, did all the convincing both with Scindia and his party leadership about the former union minister’s interest to join the BJP and how he was claustrophobic despite his close proximity with the first family of the Congress. The BJP trusted young Zafar’s instinct and gave him the go-ahead.

So on Holi day, Scindia left his Delhi home in the morning. Many thought he was on his way to Gwalior to mark his late father’s 75th birth anniversary. But he took a turn, went to The Lodhi hotel, and met friend Zafar over a cup of tea. The two then headed to Gujarat Bhawan on Kautilya Marg. From there, home minister Amit Shah picked them up in his car and they headed to 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, where they met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Zafar and Scindia were then dropped back to Gujarat Bhawan. Meanwhile, an understanding was also reached with a bunch of Scindia-supporting Madhya Pradesh MLAs already camping in Bengaluru.

When Scindia joined the BJP in Delhi on Thursday, it didn’t come as a surprise to many, including his former party Congress.

But how he finally made the smooth transition is an ‘investment story’ worth sharing.