Jitu Patwari plays down 'internal rift' claims in Madhya Pradesh Congress

Bhopal, Sep 20 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari on Saturday played down the charges of growing internal rift in the party's state unit, terming allegations just a false narrative by the ruling BJP to show the opposition relatively weaker.

Patwari instead claimed that most of top BJP leaders in the state are engaged in destabilising Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's government.

He claimed that unrest within state BJP leader has reached at the level that one after another top leaders are complaining against CM Mohan Yadav.

"Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Union Minister) is making all his efforts to replace Mohan Yadav. Kailash Vijayvargiya... and some other senior ministers have united against Chief Minister. But the BJP questions Congress' unity," he claimed.

Patwari made this claim addressing a programme -- as part of Congress' ongoing 'vote theft' campaign organised in Rajgarh, home district of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh.

Addressing a large gathering of Congress workers and supporters from Rajgarh district, Patwari praised Digvijaya Singh, stating that veteran leader has been serving for Congress for past 45 years and strengthen party.

"If Jitu Patwari, Umang Singhar, Jaivardhan Singh or any other Congress workers are sitting together, BJP will question on Congress' 'Sangthan Srijan'," Patwari said, while calling Raghogarh MLA Jaivardhan Singh a charming young leader of Congress.

State Congress chief mentioned this while indirectly referring to controversy has emerged recently after Digvijaya Singh's son and former minister Jaivardhan Singh was appointed as district president of Guna, the Lok Sabha constituency which is being represented by Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

The BJP had then taken jibe at Congress, claiming that appointing Jaivardhan Singh as district head was a conspiracy to weaken him. However, Jaivardhan had then addressed a joint press conference with Patwari and responded to the controversy.

--IANS

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