Pradhyuman Singh Tomar recalls Kamal Nath’s ‘take the road’ remark:Exposes arrogance behind Congress govt’s fall

From his several arrests over public causes to his controversial decision to switch parties for the ‘sake of development’, Madhya Pradesh Energy Minister Pradhuman Singh Tomar positions himself not as a politician but as a ‘sevak’ of the people.

In a no-holds-barred interview with Bhaskar English, Tomar, who represents the Gwalior Assembly constituency, opens up about his unconventional political journey. Here’s the edited excerpts of the interview:
Q: Your political journey began in 1984. What were the early influences that shaped your career? Tomar: I began my journey under the guidance of Shri Tara Singh Yogi and Shri Rama Shankar Singh. As I progressed, I came under the wings of late Madhavrao Scindia, and that is when my formal political journey truly took flight. It has been a long path that led me to where I am today. Q: You often mention having gone to jail 42 times. What was the nature of these arrests? Tomar: I have been jailed 40 to 42 times throughout my life. None of these were for personal reasons; they were all for “Jan Samasya” (public problems). For instance, I was arrested at midnight for raising my voice for the workers of JC Mill, an event that was widely covered by the media at the time. I was told to stop speaking for the labourers, but I refused. Q: One of the biggest turning points in your career was moving from Congress to the BJP. Why did you make that choice? Tomar: I entered politics with a promise to the people to improve hospitals, schools, parks, and roads. While I was a minister in the Congress government, I found that the pace of development was not meeting expectations. I met with the then-Chief Minister (Kamal Nath) multiple times, but his responses were unsatisfactory and negative. When I, along with Jyotiraditya Scindia, raised these issues, we were met with ego. The leadership essentially told us that if we were unhappy, we should “get on the road”. So, we did. We resigned from our posts—even though people rarely give up even a sarpanch position—to seek a new mandate from the public. The public’s subsequent support proved our decision was right. Q: Critics often call your public acts, like cleaning toilets, “PR stunts.” How do you respond to that? Tomar: This specific incident involved my son, and regardless of who was right or wrong in the initial conflict with the police, I felt it was vital to ensure he did not develop an ego. Once a person becomes egoistic, their downfall is certain. We cleaned the toilets together to learn humility. Today, I am proud to say there is no glimpse of ego around my son. My identity as a “Sevak” is genuine, not a stunt. Q: What concrete changes can the people of Gwalior see as a result of your leadership? Tomar: Gwalior is changing. Our Civil Hospital, which used to see fewer than 100 patients, now serves over 1,500 people daily and is a top-tier facility in the state. We have invested over 50 crore rupees into the Sandeepni School and have completely transformed the Birla Nagar maternity home. These are tangible results of prioritising public service over politics.
Q: Regarding the tragic water-related incident in Indore, who do you believe is accountable – the politicians or the officials? Tomar: It was a deeply tragic event, and the government has taken full responsibility. However, there is a distinction between the Legislature and the Executive. We create the schemes and plans, but the Executive is responsible for their implementation. The negligent officials have been punished or removed, and we are now working to replace old water and sewer lines to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.
Q: Are you confident about the upcoming elections, especially with changes to the voter lists? Tomar: I am very confident. While some say thousands of votes have been “cut,” these were often duplicate entries or voters who had passed away. Removing them actually increases the voting percentage. I believe the BJP will win again with a strong margin because the public recognises our work. I am beholden to the “Janata Janardhan” for the opportunity to serve.