"If You Want To Bid Farewell To Me...": Kamal Nath To Congress Workers

A day after dismissing the buzz about his BJP switch, Congress veteran Kamal Nath on Wednesday told the party workers that he would not "impose" himself on them and would "leave" if they want him to.

Addressing a meeting of the party workers at Harrai on his home turf Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, the 77-year-old leader said he had been receiving their love and trust for many years.

"If you want to bid farewell to Kamal Nath, it's your choice. I am ready to leave. I don't want to impose myself. This is a matter of your choice," the former MP chief minister told the gathering.

छिन्दवाड़ा ज़िले की अमरवाड़ा विधानसभा के ब्लाक हर्रई में ब्लाक कांग्रेस कार्यकर्ता सम्मेलन मे सम्मिलित हुआ। pic.twitter.com/xUycKJXioo

Mr Nath's son Nakul Nath is a Lok Sabha member from the Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency.

The senior Nath had already announced that Nakul will contest again from this seat.

The veteran politician, who represents the Chhindwara assembly seat, said the BJP projects itself aggressively but Congress workers should not panic.

"We have to vote for securing the future and I have trust in all of you," he said.

Mr Nath said the Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya belongs to all, suggesting that the BJP should not take credit for its construction.

"Does the BJP own the Ram temple? It belongs to all, including me. The temple is constructed with public money. The Supreme Court gave a verdict and since they (BJP) are in power, they constructed the temple," he said.

Mr Nath also said he worshipped Lord Ram and constructed a big temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman on the land owned by him in Chhindwara.

"We are religious people and keep our culture intact," he said.

Amid speculations that he might join the BJP, the veteran politician on Tuesday dismissed them as a "media creation".

"You (media) are making such speculations and nobody else is saying so. Have you ever heard from me? You run the news and ask me. You should refute this news," Mr Nath told reporters on Tuesday. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)