A video from an internal meeting of the Madhya Pradesh Congress has gone viral, capturing a candid exchange between former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh and state Congress President Jitu Patwari. The footage, recorded during a meeting of the party's Scheduled Caste department on Thursday, shows Singh addressing Patwari in a mix of affection and admonition, with the latter responding meekly as his 'chela' (disciple).
The Viral Exchange
In the video, Digvijaya Singh is seen speaking about the composition of the state Congress committee. He claimed to have received complaints that no member of the Barot community has been included in the current Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee. 'Paying attention to the composition of the organisation is required,' Singh said, adding that many people had told him about the absence of Barot community members.
Turning to Jitu Patwari, Singh remarked, 'Jitu Bhai, you can get anything written by KC Venugopal. We have full faith in you. No other state president is as free with KC Venugopal the way you are. Does anyone delay any work suggested by you?' KC Venugopal is the Congress national general secretary responsible for organisational matters. Patwari is widely perceived to be close to Rahul Gandhi and, by extension, liked by Venugopal.
Singh further said, 'Rajendra Gautam is sitting here. Has he ever deferred anything you said? We do not have the grip that you have over AICC.' He then advised Patwari to appoint Barot members to the state Congress committee. As Singh spoke, Patwari muttered, 'I am your chela (follower).' An amused Singh responded, 'Mera Chela ho. Magar guru rah gaya gur aur chela bann gaya shakkar (You are my chela. But Guru became gurr and chela evolved as sugar).'
Political Reactions
The video has sparked varied reactions. State BJP spokesman Ajay Singh Yadav claimed that Digvijaya Singh's metaphor reveals his pain at seeing juniors several decades younger control the state party unit. 'This conversation shows the factional politics within the Congress organisation,' Yadav said. However, Congress leaders defended the incident. Former minister PC Sharma said, 'What we saw was the chemistry between the former chief minister and Jitu Patwari.'
The incident underscores the internal dynamics within the Madhya Pradesh Congress, where senior leaders like Digvijaya Singh, who served as state party president in the late 1980s and early 1990s, now see a younger generation taking charge. The exchange has become a talking point in political circles, with many interpreting it as a reflection of the power shifts and factional undercurrents within the party.
