Ahead of the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, the internal rift within the Congress party’s state unit appears to have widened as former chief minister Kamal Nath called on his supporters to ‘tear’ clothes of senior leader Digvijaya Singh.
The remarks were made in response to the protests staged by supporters of Veerendra Raghuvanshi, who, despite their discontent, had not been selected as a candidate for the Shivpuri constituency.
In the midst of the demonstration, Kamal Nath was seen urging the protesters to symbolize their protest by tearing the attire of senior Congress leaders, Digvijay Singh and Jayvardhan Singh. He stated, “My preference remains for Veerendra Raghuvanshi to be nominated. I have conveyed this to Digvijaya Singh and Jayvardhan Singh, but it appears there’s a misunderstanding. Now, I urge you all to express your discontent by tearing the clothes of Digvijaya Singh and Jayvardhan Singh.”
#BREAKING | Kamal Nath vs Digvijaya Singh rocks Congress in Madhya Pradesh
— Republic (@republic) October 17, 2023
Kamal Nath incites supporters to 'tear Digvijaya Singh's clothes'#MadhyaPradesh #MP #Congress #KamalNath #DigvijayaSingh #MadhyaPradeshElection2023
WATCH #LIVE here-https://t.co/0ABe98Hlmv pic.twitter.com/h2UO57hzhU
The remarks have touched off discussions within the political realm of Madhya Pradesh, prompting reactions from numerous leaders, many of whom view it as a manifestation of the internal bickering underway within the Congress party, but was kept under wraps thus far to prevent fuelling resentment within the party cadres.
Singh has also reacted to Nath’s remarks, trying to dismiss the latter’s statement as internal ‘disagreement’ within a political party. In reply to the video, Digvijay Singh shared a message on social media, stating, “In a large family, there can be both collective joy and collective disagreements. Wisdom dictates that the elders should patiently address these differences. God blesses those who unite their hearts and efforts.”
Following the election victory in Karnataka, the Congress had thought the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls would be a cakewalk. But that assessment has gone for a toss as the party faces the spectre of internecine conflicts and competing ambitions that threaten to undermine its electoral prospects and performance in what is pegged to be a closely-fought polls.
Notably, political analysts view this event as something that could exacerbate the existing divisions within the Congress party, potentially undermining its aspirations of regaining power in Madhya Pradesh. Already, the BJP, under the rule of Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is leaving no stone unturned to woo the state votaries with new schemes and announcements; highlighting the developmental work completed in its reign and pointing out the lack of unity among the Congress party as different factions openly vie for power and influence.
