Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath on Sunday questioned whether the "bhagwa" colour is the trademark of BJP as he reached out to Hindu priests at the state party office decorated with saffron flags and banners.

Nath told the sants, pujais and heads of temples that their demand for the control and management of properties of temples would be fulfilled once Congress returns to power in the state after six months.

The Assembly elections in the state are due later this year.

"The BJP gives land parcels to businessmen but not to priests for temples. Is Bhagwa the trademark of the BJP? Does BJP have taken a patent of the saffron colour? The BJP also claims it has taken the patent of the Hindu religion," Nath said when reporters asked him about saffron flags and banners decorating the party office.

The Bharatiya Janata Party lost the 2018 Assembly polls in MP after being in power for 15 years to Congress, with the results throwing up a hung Assembly.

While the Congress had emerged as the single largest party by bagging 114 seats in the 230-member House, the BJP won 109 seats. However, the BJP got 41.02 per cent votes against the Congress' 40.89 per cent.

Subsequently, the Congress formed a coalition government under Kamal Nath but it collapsed in March 2020 when 25 MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia revolted, paving the way for the return of Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the chief minister.