Madhya Pradesh Congress working President Jeetu Patwari is seen in a viral video going to his voters individually asking for votes. In the video, Patwari is seen saying to voters, ” Meri Izzat Rakhna, party gayi tel lene” (Please keep my honour, to hell with the party)
Congress leader snubs Rahul Gandhi, posts a video on social media saying that his respect was important and the party was not important | TIMES NOW’s Govind with details pic.twitter.com/IfBK4dwhMf
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) October 23, 2018
As per the report in Times Now, Patwari has posted the video himself. Patwari, who is an MLA from Rau assembly constituency and was made Congress Working President in April this year for the upcoming assembly elections in the state, is seen doing a ‘Jan Sampark’ campaign in the video where he goes to the homes of voters in his constituency and asks for votes. He is clearly heard telling his voters to vote for him and keep his honour while disregarding the party.
One wonders if this video is an indication that the voters of Madhya Pradesh are adverse to voting for Congress which is why Patwari might have felt the need to appeal to the voters to disregard the party and vote for him.
मेरी लाज बचाओ, पार्टी गयी तेल लेने: जीतू पटवारी (कार्यकारी अध्यक्ष, मध्यप्रदेश कांग्रेस) pic.twitter.com/2lmIqe0IWo
— Vedank Singh (@VedankSingh) October 23, 2018
Madhya Pradesh is to conduct assembly elections on November 28 along with Mizoram. While there were reports of an ongoing rivalry between Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia for the party’s CM candidature, Patwari’s video has added fuel to the speculations that all is not well in Congress.
Congress, the grand old party of India has been going through an existential crisis. While the North-Eastern states have already witnessed many instances of mass switching of Congress leaders to rival parties, such incidents are becoming increasingly common in other states too. At such a time when the party is reduced to its weakest position, the open disregard for party leadership and ideologies by their own leaders might mean further troubles for Congress.
