Kailash Joshi

Regarded as "Dronacharya" of Madhya Pradesh politics, former chief minister Kailash Joshi is widely respected cutting across party lines irrespective of him being "sidelined" in recent years owing to internecine power struggles. 

The last blow to his political fortunes came when he lost to Chief Minister Digvijay Singh's brother Laxman Singh in 1998 Rajgarh Lok Sabha by-poll by a huge margin of 56,234 votes. However, honouring his experience, he was nominated to Rajya Sabha in 2000.

He has seen many ups and downs in BJP, and continues to struggle with what many perceive as a sence of alienation.

A senior kisan leader, Kailash Joshi had taken over as president of the State unit of the party in 2002 replacing Vikram Verma, who was later made Union Minister for Sports. The party leadership had almost reluctantly arrived at his name after the stormy petrel Uma Bharti refused to head the state unit. Joshi had an uneasy relationship with Bharti. Later he was made to bow out of the post.

Political observers often recall how in 1990, Kailash Joshi left Delhi with the assurance that he would be the new CM and then was asked to propose Sunderlal Patwa's name instead.

At one point of time he was so upset with the party high command that he left party but only return after some time following hectic persuasive efforts.

As a Rajya Sabha member, he had also been chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce.