Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The internal strife within the Madhya Pradesh Congress has reached alarming proportions, with both party leadership and grassroots workers expressing open dissent against State Congress president Jitu Patwari and State in-charge general secretary Bhawar Jitendra Singh and senior leader Digvijay Singh, who is said to be the “ringmaster” of this circuit. The latest episode in this ongoing crisis was witnessed at today’s political affairs committee meeting in Bhopal, where the absence of key leaders and mounting protests painted a grim picture of the party’s unity.
Despite unprecedented efforts by Jitu Patwari to stage a grand spectacle—complete with a red carpet rolled out for party leaders—the attempt to showcase a united front fell flat. Out of 25 members of the Political Affairs Committee, a shocking 16 members were conspicuously absent, signaling their growing dissatisfaction. This included prominent leaders like Kamal Nath, Ajay Singh, Umang Singhar, Govind Singh, Arun Yadav, Praveen Pathak, Kamleshwar Patel, Shobha Ojha, Nitu Sikarwar, Arif Masood and others.
The glaring absence of these heavyweights sends a strong message to the Congress high command about the eroding confidence in the current state leadership. Despite being the kingpin of this alleged triangular nexus Digvijay Singh’s absence hinted on the duality of senior leader for optics. The situation was no better within the executive committee, where 9 out of 16 members stayed away. Among the ex-officio members, only 9 out of 13 turned up. Similarly, of the 73 special and permanent invitees, 39 abstained from attending. These numbers reflect not just disinterest but a clear signal of discontent with the functioning of the state leadership under Patwari and Jitendra Singh.
Adding to the chaos, grassroots workers staged vociferous protests outside the Congress office during the meeting. Chanting slogans, they accused the leadership of sidelining loyal workers and ignoring ground realities. Protesters alleged that the org.sational structure is crumbling due to favoritism and lack of accountability from the top brass. The absence of a majority of senior leaders from today’s meeting demonstrates a critical breakdown of trust and communication within the party’s ranks. Leaders boycotting such a crucial meeting point to a deep-seated disillusionment with the leadership style of Patwari and Jitendra Singh.
The undue influence of Digvijay Singh in running the PCC operations on backend with Jitu Patwari is also said to be a key reason of this growing mistrust among state leaders. This dissent is not limited to senior leaders—workers and mid-level leaders are also joining the chorus for their removal. Congress workers who gathered outside the office criticised the leadership for prioritising photo ops and personal agendas over the party’s core values and grassroots concerns. Protesters lambasted the leadership for its failure to energise the cadre in the run-up to critical elections, warning that this disarray could cost the party dearly in the upcoming polls.
It is evident that the Madhya Pradesh Congress is on the brink of a leadership crisis. If immediate steps are not taken to address the grievances of senior leaders and workers alike, the party risks alienating its loyal base and jeopardising its chances in the state. With 2/3 of the political affairs committee members abstaining from today’s meeting, the high command must urgently intervene to rectify this deteriorating situation. The writing on the wall is clear: the red carpet rolled out by Jitu Patwari has been rejected by the party’s senior leaders and grassroots workers. The state of Madhya Pradesh Congress is not just on red carpet—it is on red alert.
