Madhya Pradesh Congress – Artifex.News

Congress hit with new infighting row in M.P. after Digvijaya Singh refutes Jitu Patwari’s claims over Ujjain land ‘scam’

admin — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:52:00 +0000

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, left, addresses the gathering during a protest organised by the Madhya Pradesh Mahila Congress on July 3, 2026.
| Photo Credit: PTI

It is one embarrassment after another for the Madhya Pradesh unit of the Congress in the past few weeks and the latest one comes even as the party tries to corner Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the alleged land scam by Mr. Yadav’s family members in his hometown of Ujjain.

In the first half of June, the party had to take a bitter pill after the nomination of its Rajya Sabha candidate Meenakshi Natarajan was rejected for failing to mention a court notice issued to her in Hyderabad. Apart from accusing the BJP of “stealing the seat”, rumours that it could have been a result of the Congress’ infighting also made rounds.

The end of June brought another situation that the party is currently busy dealing with after senior leader and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh fact-checked an allegation by State Congress president Jitu Patwari had made against Mr. Yadav. This fuelled a series of meetings and press conferences apart from some leaders publicly targeting Mr. Singh while the BJP jumped to take advantage of the situation.

Following an investigation by an English Daily that exposed the alleged land scam in Ujjain, Mr. Patwari on June 24 further alleged that government land worth ₹500 crore in Ujjain had been given to a trust called Veer Bharat Nyas for a token amount of ₹1 and that Mr. Yadav’s cultural advisor Shriram Tiwari was a trustee. Mr. Patwari made the allegations during a press conference with party’s national media head at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi

However, days later, Mr. Singh addressed reporters in Ujjain and refuted Mr. Patwari’s claim.

“An allegation was made recently that land was given to a trust in ₹1 It [the land] has not been given to a private trust. It’s a government trust. I have gotten [documents] on that. I don’t come without putting in research. The ex-officio chairman of the trust is the Chief Minister. So, this charge is not right,” Mr. Singh said, while adding there were several “dalaal (brokers)” who make false allegations and extort money.

The statement alarmed various senior M.P. Congress leaders and MLAs as it hampered the party’s efforts to take on a formidable BJP in the State.

While a bunch of Congress leaders slammed Mr. Singh on social media, the party rushed to call a meeting of its political affairs committee (PAC), where several leaders are learnt to have raised the issue. Some leaders, however, claim that a sitting of the PAC was already scheduled.

As per two Congress insiders and a local report, terms like “sleeper cell” were used in the meeting by some leaders while others urged the leaders to have coordination in their statements.

Bhopal MLA Arif Masood, however, denied later that he used terms like “sleeper cell”

After the meeting, former Union Minister Arun Yadav took to X and sought Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s intervention while alleging that “certain individuals are making futile attempts to break the morale of those [Congress] workers under a contrived conspiracy”.

“If responsible people try to exploit their personal grievances and animosity at the expense of the party’s workers, it will not be right,” he wrote.

After the PAC meeting, Mr. Singh and Mr. Patwari also addressed a press conference together in an attempt to presented a united house.

“A misconception is being spread that there is an issue between Digvijaya Singh and Jitu Patwari. He is like my son and I have been with the Congress for more than 50 years. I cannot use the word ‘dalaal’ for any Congress worker let alone the State Congress Committee president,” Mr. Singh said with Mr. Patwari sitting next to him.

Mr. Singh claimed that the word ‘dalaal’ was used for a local journalist who’s surname Dalal.

Various BJP leaders took on the Congress saying that their own leader had exposed the “fake allegations” made by Mr. Patwari.

“The lifespan of a lie isn’t very long! The malicious campaign that Congress President Jitu Patwari was trying to pass off as truth has been deflated by Congress senior leader and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh himself,” M.P. BJP media in-charge Ashish Agarwal said.

Whereas, Pichhore MLA Pritam Lodhi went on to invite Mr. Singh into the saffron party.

Even though Congress leaders now say that the issue has been resolved and the party is now focused on the byelection on Datia Assembly constituency, a source said that the matter has reached the party national leadership and that “there are high chances of an intervention from Delhi”.

A Congress MLA, The Hindu spoke to, said, “Do we realise that 2028 [Assembly election] is just two years away. The BJP already has a very strong machinery and booth management system. The election is anyway going to be a difficult and with all senior leaders walking their own path, we could be looking at another 2023-like situation [crushing defeat by the BJP].”

Published – July 04, 2026 03:21 am IST

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Meenakshi Natarajan nomination: Congress leaders eyeing RS seat ‘spoilt’ chances of party nominee, says M.P. CM

admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:20:00 +0000

Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan after the party delegation led by party General Secretary KC Venugopal meets the Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners, in New Delhi on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
| Photo Credit: ANI

A day after the nomination of Meenakshi Natarajan, the Congress candidate for one of three Rajya Sabha seats from Madhya Pradesh going to poll on June 18, was rejected during scrutiny, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said leaders of the Opposition party “eyeing the seat” for themselves were behind the alleged irregularities in her nomination form.

The Congress, however, alleged that Ms. Natarajan’s nomination was rejected as part of a “premeditated conspiracy” and all its 62 MLAs would call on President Droupadi Murmu in Delhi on Friday to seek her intervention in the matter.

Ms. Natarajan’s nomination was rejected by Assembly Secretary Arvind Sharma, Returning Officer for the election, based on an objection raised by the BJP candidate for the third seat, Mahesh Kewat, and State party general secretary Rahul Kothari. They alleged that the Congress nominee had “hidden” details of a case filed against her in Telangana. Mr. Kewat is now set to win unopposed, ensuring victory for the BJP in all three seats.

“The Congress made the mistake in their candidate’s form deliberately due to fear of losing. Many Congress leaders were eyeing the [Rajya Sabha] seat, but when they did not get nominated, they spoilt the game [for Ms. Natarajan],” Mr. Yadav said.

The CM also accused the Congress of “not trusting” its own MLAs following attempts by the party to move them to Bengaluru over fears of cross-voting. “The Congress now needs to introspect,” he said.

State BJP president Hemant Khandelwal also took a dig at the Congress, claiming that infighting led to the rejection of Ms. Natarajan’s nomination. “Ghar ka Lanka dhaye (An insider brings down a kingdom). We were getting all the information from them [Congress insiders] from time to time,” he alleged.

Meanwhile, several senior Congress leaders and MLAs accused the Returning Officer of “bias” and staged a day-long hunger strike near the State Election Commission’s office in Bhopal. State Congress president Jitu Patwari said the party has approached the Election Commission of India and will also move the Supreme Court to challenge the rejection of Ms. Natarajan’s nomination.

Announcing a Statewide protest over the issue, Mr. Patwari said party workers will gherao the CM’s house in Bhopal and BJP offices in all districts. “We will expose the real face of the BJP in every village and household,” he said.

Speaking to The Hindu, J.P. Dhanopia, legal cell in-charge of the State Congress, said the FIR lodged in Telangana was not a criminal case and that no charges had been framed against Ms. Natararjan.

Published – June 11, 2026 02:50 am IST

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Madhya Pradesh Congress Chief On “Groupism” Within Party

admin — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 03:38:04 +0000

Bhopal:

At a time when the Congress is preparing for its ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, and Jai Samvidhan’ rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Mhow on January 27, state Congress president Jitu Patwari’s remarks about the “cancer of groupism” within the party have sparked a political storm.

The rally, organized to honour Dr BR Ambedkar at his birthplace, has been overshadowed by Mr Patwari’s candid acknowledgement of internal issues, providing the ruling BJP with new ammunition to attack the opposition.

Speaking at a gathering of Congress workers in Dhar district’s Dharampuri on Sunday, Mr Patwari openly addressed the internal challenges plaguing the party.

“Congress is afflicted with the cancer of groupism. We’ll have to end this cancer, or else we’ll be finished. If we don’t eliminate the cancer of groupism, then we all will be finished,” he said.

In a pointed comment on sycophancy, he said, “Sycophants are present in every political party. We need to stay away from them.”

As the remarks snowballed into a controversy, he later said that “unity is a way to make the party strong” and that it was “natural that such things are discussed within the organization”.

“Whatever may have to be done to end factionalism in our party, I will do it and we will end it with courage and unity,” he said.

BJP On Jitu Patwari’s ‘Groupism’ Remark

Jitu Patwari’s remarks, made just 70 kilometres from where the January 27 rally will take place, quickly went viral on social media, drawing sharp criticism from political opponents.

BJP spokesperson Narendra Saluja, a former Congress leader, also shared a video clip of Mr Patwari’s statement on X.

“When we said there is factionalism in Congress, Patwari denied it. When Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh criticized Patwari in the political affairs committee meeting, he made Kamal Nath issue a false tweet to deny it. Now, in the home district of the Leader of Opposition (in the Madhya Pradesh assembly) Umang Singhar, Patwari himself admits to the cancer of groupism in Congress,” he said.

हम कहते थे कि कांग्रेस में गुटबाजी , अंतर्कलह जमकर है तो जीतू पटवारी मना करते थे…

हमने कांग्रेस की पोलिटिकल अफेयर्स कमेटी की बैठक में कमलनाथ जी और दिग्विजय सिंह द्वारा जीतू पटवारी को आड़े हाथों लेने का मामला उठाया तो पटवारी मना करते रहे और कमलनाथ जी ने 24 घंटे बाद झूठा ट्वीट… pic.twitter.com/nT8GJ6x72N

— Narendra Saluja (@NarendraSaluja) January 20, 2025

Mr Saluja also demanded to know who Mr Patwari holds responsible for the “cancer”.

“Is it Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh, Umang Singhar, Arun Yadav, or someone else?” he asked.

He further mocked the Congress, describing its internal issues as not just “cancer” but a “heart attack and kidney failure of factionalism.”

The remarks were made in Dharampuri, Dhar district, the home turf of Mr Singhar, a four-term Congress MLA.

Despite the controversy, Mr Patwari has outlined a comprehensive strategy to revitalize the Congress in Madhya Pradesh: Grassroots Strengthening — Assigning leadership roles to energetic individuals at panchayat and ward levels; Youth Leadership — Empowering leaders under 50 to infuse fresh energy into the party; Social Harmony — Ensuring inclusive representation across caste and community lines; Training Programs — Equipping workers with ideological and organizational skills; and Eradicating Factionalism — Prioritizing merit and collaboration over internal rivalries.

Congress’ ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ Rally

The ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ rally in Mhow is a key part of the Congress’ public outreach strategy. It comes a month after a row erupted over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on BR Ambedkar.

The event, to be attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, seeks to consolidate the party’s support base among marginalized communities.

Both Mr Patwari and Mr Singhar are touring the Malwa-Nimar region to mobilize party workers for the rally.

‘जय बापू, जय भीम, जय संविधान’ यात्रा बुरहानपुर पहुंच चुकी है।

जब तक कांग्रेस है, हम बाबा साहब के संविधान पर आंच नहीं आने देंगे! pic.twitter.com/FR2kJXu2FC

— Jitendra (Jitu) Patwari (@jitupatwari) January 20, 2025

However, the controversy over Mr Patwari’s statement threatens to undermine these efforts.

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Congress Leader Kantilal Bhuria Sparks Row

admin — Thu, 09 May 2024 16:23:46 +0000

Kantilal Bhuria is pitted against Anita Chauhan, the wife of MP forest minister Nagar Singh Chauhan.

Ratlam:

Former Union minister and the Congress’ Lok Sabha candidate from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh Kantilal Bhuria on Thursday courted controversy by claiming men with two wives stand to gain Rs 2 lakh under his party’s Mahalaxmi scheme to give Rs 1 lakh annually to poor women.

The statement drew a sharp response from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which sought action from the Election Commission of India against Bhuria (73), a Union minister for tribal affairs in the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

“Our manifesto promises Rs 1 lakh to every woman. It will be deposited in her bank account. (For) The person who has two wives, both of them will come under it,” Bhuria said while addressing a poll rally in Sailana.

Speaking on the occasion, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari said, “Bhuria ji has made a terrific announcement just now that a person with two wives will get double (of the Rs 1 lakh financial aid).” As per the Congress’ manifesto, under the Mahalaxmi scheme, women will get Rs 8,500 per month till they move out of the below poverty line (BPL) segment.

Meanwhile, MP BJP spokesperson Narendra Saluja uploaded the clip of Bhuria’s statement on social media platform X and tagged the Election Commission seeking action.

In his address, Bhuria accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of disrespecting tribals and of keeping quiet when a tribal was urinated upon by a BJP leader in Sidhi.

Bhuria is pitted against Anita Chauhan, the wife of MP forest minister Nagar Singh Chauhan.

Lok Sabha polls will be held in Ratlam on May 13.

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

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Imran Khan Party Song Copied In Madhya Pradesh? BJP, Congress Trade Charge

admin — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 11:50:35 +0000

Chalo Chalo Imran Ke Saath is the theme song of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf

Bhopal:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party was at the centre of an exchange between the BJP and Congress in Madhya Pradesh today, as both the parties accused each other of “stealing” the theme song of Imran Khan’s party for their respective campaigns for upcoming assembly elections.

The ruling BJP claimed the Congress has “stolen” the theme song of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for its upcoming Jan Aakrosh Yatra campaign in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

The Congress hit back, claiming the song of the Pakistani party was copied by Dushyant Chautala, the Deputy Chief Minister in Haryana’s BJP government, and similarly in Rajasthan (for the poll campaign).

The row erupted after MP BJP unit secretary Rahul Kothari alleged the Congress has copied “Chalo, Chalo Imran Ke Sath”, which he said is the theme song of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, in its recently-released song “Chalo, Chalo Congress Ke Sang Chalo Chalo” for the Jan Aakrosh Yatra.

The Yatra is scheduled to set out from September 19 from seven places in Madhya Pradesh, where assembly elections are due in November this year.

The state BJP shared the video of the purported theme song of the Pakistan-based party along with the Congress’ poll campaign song on its official X account.

Till now, the Congress used to accept those who raised slogans in favour of Pakistan and against Hindustan, Mr Kothari alleged. Now, Madhya Pradesh Congress is also borrowing songs from Pakistan, he alleged.

He claimed Congress’ Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh was missing from the poster of Jan Ashirwad Yatra, “but he is giving the background music”.

“This is the height of appeasement. It won’t be a big deal if Congress flag soon turns completely green,” Mr Kothari said.

“Congress’ love for Pakistan came to the fore again. @INCMP stole the theme song of Imran Khan’s party of Pakistan for its campaign song in the Madhya Pradesh elections. Congress’s habit of ‘stealing’ is old but why so much love for Pakistan? Congress should answer,” the BJP posted on X.

State Congress media department chairman KK Mishra said, “Unfortunately, those who are friends of Pakistan are raising objections over the campaign song of Congress. Those who got Army personnel martyred to take electoral advantage objected to a song”.

Mr Mishra said the BJP might have forgotten who went to Pakistan without invitation and who had invited the neighbouring country’s prime minister for his oath ceremony.

MP Home Minister and senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra said the Congress has stolen the campaign song of its Jan Akrosh Yatra from Pakistan.

“The (erstwhile) Congress government had lost its credibility in the state because of the ‘Chalo Chalo’ jibe of Kamal Nath (MP Congress chief and ex-chief minister). The public is also going to tell ‘Chalo-Chalo’ to Congress in the assembly elections,” he alleged.

On the other hand, Mr Nath’s media advisor Piyush Babele accused the BJP of stealing the Pakistani party’s theme song during electioneering in Rajasthan and Haryana.

“The BJP’s only mantra is stealing without shame. The song of Pakistan’s Imran Khan has been copied by Dushyant Chautala, Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana’s BJP government. Film expert @drnarottammisra ji, listen to both the songs and tell from where do you get so much love for Pakistan,” Mr Babele posted on X account.

The Congress launched the “Chalo, Chalo…” song on September 17. The Yatra is expected to cover 11,400 kilometres across all 230 assembly segments in Madhya Pradesh in 15 days to highlight various issues like “corruption, unemployment, and crime against Dalits and women”, among others.

The BJP has already rolled out the Jan Ashirward Yatra’ to “seek the blessings of the people”. The Yatras, being taken out from various places, will culminate in Bhopal on September 25.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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