Divided Congress fuels smooth ride for Madhya Pradesh CM

Bhopal: The Congress, already being written off by pundits and said to be on its last legs, is trying hard to hold ground in Madhya Pradesh where it has some crowd-pullers in the likes of Digvijay Singh, Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia. But the party’s future is being sabotaged by its own leaders, if local party workers are to be believed.

Latest example of this was seen when, one day before a “unity show”, held recently, two heavyweights from the party — Mr Nath and Mr Scindia — differed in public over an issue, causing the much-publicised event to lose its steam.

Senior leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia had made it clear that they were not on same page on the issue of projecting a Congress face for 2018 Assembly elections in the state, bringing to fore factionalism in the beleaguered party.

While Mr Nath dismissed the debate of announcing a chief ministerial candidate saying, “A face alone does not win the elections,” Mr Scindia batted for declaring a CM face.

The discordant voices sent a confusing signal among the Congress cadres who were earlier enthusiastic about the “unity show” where the three party stalwarts were seen on one platform after almost two-and-a-half years. “Factionalism has almost become synonymous with Congress in MP. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has grown stronger in every elections by banking on the disunity in Congress,” a youth Congress leader told this newspaper requesting anonymity.

Massive scandals such as Vyapam scam coupled with fast deteriorating health situation particularly in tribal-dominated areas leading to death of hundreds of malnourished children and growing cases of suicides by farmers witnessed during the 12-year-old Shivraj regime have not been cashed on effectively by  the Congress, cadres said.

The unity plays a key role in ensuring a comeback in the state, considering that the last three Assembly elections have witnessed a keen fight between BJP and Congress.