Bhopal, March 11 (IANS): Veteran Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said on Monday that he will not leave Chhindwara, at any cost.

Kamal Nath, a nine-time MP from Chhindwara which is presently represented by his son Nakul Nath, made the remarks while commenting on whether he would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Jabalpur.

Kamal Nath reached his stronghold Chhindwara on Monday where he is scheduled to hold meetings with the party workers in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections through the next one week.

When asked if he would contest the Lok Sabha polls from Jabalpur, the senior Congress leader said, “There is no plan to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Jabalpur as of now. I would not leave Chhindwara at any cost.”

Interestingly, Kamal Nath's son and the lone Congress MP from the state, Nakul Nath, has already announced that he will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from his family bastion Chhindwara, though the party is yet to name its candidate from the seat.

Meanwhile, reacting to some Congress leaders racing to join the BJP, Kamal Nath reiterated his statement that “all are free to decide their own (course of action)”.

“Suresh Pachouri has joined the BJP, and it was his own decision,” he added.

Pachouri along with ex-Congress MLA Sanjay Shukla joined the BJP on Saturday. On Monday, two more former Congress MLAs -- Arunoday Choube and Shivdayal Bagri -- also shifted to the BJP.

When asked if Deepak Joshi, who was inducted into the Congress by Kamal Nath ahead of the November 2023 Assembly elections, is also planning to rejoin the BJP, the Congress leader said, “Wo To Wahin Ke The (he was from there only)."