By L S Herdenia
BHOPAL: While Congress and BJP are engaged in a bitter electoral fight in two Vidhan Sabha constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, both parties are finding it difficult to explain inconvenient questions raised by their two powerful leaders. Laxman Singh, former M.P. and MLA has publicly said that Congress is not a private company. Laxman Singh, happens to be younger brother of Digvijay Singh. He has criticised the leadership over the manner in which party executive has been constituted without consultation, party president acted as if he is a managing director of a company.
Former LOPs Ajay Singh and Govind Singh have already expressed their displeasure on the matter. Lakshman, a former MLA from the Chachoura assembly seat, claimed that the new Congress executive committee was appointed from inside a closed room.
“Our tall leaders, whether Shyama Charan Shukla, Arjun Singh, or Motilal Vora, used to discuss with party workers before appointing a body,” Lakshman said. “And they used to adjust our hardworking party workers. This tradition has not been followed for the last 25 to 30 years and is the reason for the Congress’ present situation.” he argued. Congress state unit president Jitu Patwari dismissed allegations, saying he needs to understand party worker’s sentiments.
“In a big family, some trivial issues do surface,” Patwari said, reacting to Lakshman’s allegations. “I have the responsibility as the party state president to think and understand everyone’s feelings and sentiments. I also must make amends. Lakshman is a senior leader and may not have all the information. But whatever he says, we will act on it.” He said.
Lakshman furthers alleged, “This PCC has been appointed from behind the closed door of a room. Or maybe, someone had handed over a list which has been announced. This is not the way it should be done. The Congress is not a private company where whatever the MD wants will be executed. The state president is not an MD. Previously, when the PCC was formed, everyone would be consulted. What former Ajay Singh said is not untrue.”
As for BJP is concerned, it was shocked and surprised when a former Home Minister alleged that call details of some party workers are being watched and taken out from phones. Details of calls are being misused. He said that these illegal acts are being done without the consent of high officials. Bhupendra Singh levelled this serious allegation at the district level meeting held at Sagar.
Dr. Rajendra Shukla, Deputy Chief Minister who was attending the meeting said that it was a serious matter and deserved a probe. Bhupendra Singh later told media that call details report of mobile phones are illegally collected and being misused. He said that the details are being collected by local officials. Many local leaders have told me about this. Political circles have termed this as serious matter and claimed that these details are used in the faction fight of the ruling party.
The two constitutions where bypoll is being held are Budhni and Vijaypur, The BJP is attaching great importance to Budhni which was represented by former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who has chosen to be Lok Sabha member.
The BJP candidate Ramakant Bhargava, a former MP from Vidisha, is Chouhan’s trusted aide and has been given party ticket on Chouhan’s recommendation and assurance of total support. But Bhargava’s nomination has not gone down well among the BJP ranks particularly those from Budhni and adjoining areas. This was evident during a meeting of party workers for the bypoll in Budhni convened by Shivraj Singh Chouhan last week. Two prominent local BJP functionaries – Rajendra Singh Rajput who left his seat in 2006 so that the newly appointed chief minister Chouhan could contest from Budhni and Guru Prasad Sharma who contested from the seat in 1993-did not turn-up.
They informed the state BJP office of their unhappiness with the choice of party candidate. Shivraj Singh Chouhan had won the assembly seat in November 2023 polls by a record margin of over 1.04 lakh and his popularity never waned in Budhni and any candidate with his support will be a clear winner. Hence the party agreed to accommodate Bhargava of Chouhan’s recommendation.
For the Congress, it’s the trusted aide of former chief minister Digvijaya Singh–Rajkumar Patel–who is in the fray. Patel, a poll veteran, has contested 7 elections including Lok Sabha and has tasted success only in one in 1993 when he was inducted into the Digvijaya Singh cabinet. For Patel there is no bigger issue than Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s 18 years of ‘misrule’, his schemes and the alleged non-implementation allegations of corruption in the govt during his tenure, illegal mining activities and the increasing unemployment that the youth faced under Chouhan’s regime.
The other constituency which is going to poll is Vijaypur. The BJP has chosen a Congress defector as its candidate. The ruling party is confident of a walk over in this constituency. (IPA Service)
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