The appointments of 71 district Congress presidents in Madhya Pradesh, including former ministers and lawmakers, to restructure and strengthen the party has triggered protests and resignations.
State Congress chief Jitu Patwari said Rahul Gandhi informed 12 senior leaders, like Jaivardhan Singh, former assembly members Omkar Singh Markam, and Siddharth Kushwaha, of their district-level responsibilities.
“These powerful leaders are capable of serving as state presidents, but the party has named them as district presidents to expand their responsibilities. Jairvardhan is like my brother and a youth icon. Now, he has to work both at the state level and the district level,” said Patwari at a press conference with Jaivardhan Singh.
Singh said Gandhi spoke to him and other senior leaders about their responsibilities as part of an exercise to strengthen the party at the ground level.
Markam said he will serve as directed. “I cannot say anything about the protests as everybody is free to do whatever they want to do.”
Manish Kushwaha, a Congress worker, questioned the appointment of Siddharth Kushwaha as Satna (rural) chief. “Siddharth is a second-time assembly member and the state chief of Congress’s OBC wing. He is also the state general secretary of Congress and has contested Lok Sabha elections. Why does the party have only one name for all posts?” he asked.
A Congress leader, requesting anonymity, said that party observers toured districts and met several local leaders. “How can we believe that they could not identify a single suitable candidate for the role of district president? This list merely reflects an attempt to empower loyalists from different factions. There is no attempt to include new faces,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}A Congress leader, requesting anonymity, said that party observers toured districts and met several local leaders. “How can we believe that they could not identify a single suitable candidate for the role of district president? This list merely reflects an attempt to empower loyalists from different factions. There is no attempt to include new faces,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Political expert Girija Shankar said it is surprising to see Jaivardhan Singh and Markam appointed as district presidents. “The party leaders said the decision was taken to strengthen the party at the grassroots level. But this move appears to be a strategic decision aimed at sidelining influential figures from the race for higher leadership roles.”
Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party state spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai said the appointments are a reflection of internal feud and crises of leaders in the Congress.