Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh higher education minister Jitu Patwari, considered a loyalist of veteran Congress leader Digvijay Singh, may emerge as the dark horse for the post of MP Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president, if talks doing the rounds among members of the ruling party here are to be taken seriously.
Even as factionalism has taken over the MP Congress, with senior party leaders Mr Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia throwing their hat into the ring, Mr Patwari has been quietly ‘lobbying’ in Delhi for the last few days to get the coveted party post, sources in the know of things disclosed to this newspaper on Thursday.
However, officially, Mr Patwari was camping in Delhi to expedite clearance of several proposals relating to his department in the Union government.
Significantly, Mr Patwari who had earlier backed Mr Scindia for the post later made a U-turn by staking a claim on the office of PCC chief.
The minister was also said to be enjoying the confidence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
In fact, Mr Gandhi was seen riding pillion with Mr Patwari when the latter was trying to sneak into Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh via motorcycle to defy the prohibitory orders imposed in the aftermath of the killing of six farmers in police firing in 2018.
Interestingly, Mr Singh, a couple of days ago, also offered an alternative choice, saying that a young leader should be given the reins of the party in the state.
Chief minister Kamal Nath has held the party post and offered to relinquish the party charge to focus on governance. He was said to be backing his protégé and state home minister Bala Bachhan for the job.
Mr Scindia who has been sulking ever since he lost the race for the post of chief minister to Mr Nath after the Congress came to power in Madhya Pradesh after a gap of 15 years in December last year, has been eyeing the post to retain his influence in thes state as well as the party.
His supporters have also been mounting pressure on the party leadership to appoint him as PCC chief.
