Outlook Explains | Why Is Digvijaya Singh At Odds With His Own Party In Madhya Pradesh?

Digvijaya Singh regularly makes headlines for his outspoken remarks, and this time is no different. The former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister is once again in the spotlight after a press conference in Ujjain, where he publicly stated that allegations made by state Congress president Jitu Patwari were unsubstantiated.

The episode does not bode well for the Madhya Pradesh Congress, which has long been plagued by factionalism and infighting. The public airing of internal divisions has allowed the BJP to counter the Opposition's allegations in the state. Singh's remarks have also transformed him from a frequent target of the ruling party into an unlikely favourite, with one BJP MLA even offering him a place in the party.

What Triggered the Latest Rift?

The controversy stems from a press conference held in Delhi on June 24 by Congress state president Jitu Patwari and party media department chairman Pawan Khera. The briefing focused on land purchases linked to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and his family that had been investigated by The Indian Express.

Adding to the allegations, Patwari claimed that land worth around ₹500 crore in Ujjain had been handed over to a trust named Veer Bharat Nyas for a token amount of just ₹1. He also alleged that a close aide of Yadav was associated with the trust.

The twist came a couple of days later, when Digvijaya Singh addressed the media in Ujjain. The former Rajya Sabha MP appeared to contradict his party chief's claims.

"It is being alleged that land worth Rs 500 crore has been handed over to a private trust for Rs 1 only. But I have all the relevant papers with me, which establish that the concerned land hasn't been given to any private trust. The concerned trust is a government trust," Singh said.

Why Did Congress Leaders Attack Digvijaya?

Singh's remarks ruffled feathers within the Madhya Pradesh Congress, with several leaders criticising him for airing his differences in public instead of raising them through the party's internal forums.

Congress general secretary Nidhi Chaturvedi launched a sharp attack on Singh in a lengthy social media post titled, When Will Congress Get Free from the Naagpash of Digvijaya Singh? She urged the party high command to take disciplinary action against the veteran leader and stop overlooking his conduct.

"The Congress High Command must immediately put an end to this pattern of turning a blind eye," she said.

Party functionaries were also reportedly unhappy with Singh's use of the word "dalal," towards the end of his media interaction

Is Jaivardhan Singh's Future Part of the Debate?

In her social media post, Chaturvedi also suggested that Singh's actions were aimed at securing a political future for his son, Jaivardhan Singh, a three-time MLA from Raghogarh.

According to Chaturvedi, Singh was attempting to undermine Patwari's authority in the hope of eventually securing the state president's post for his son, describing the move as being driven by "putra-moh".

"This restlessness, anger, and undignified conduct on the part of Digvijaya Singh is nothing but a highly unseemly, painful, and condemnable move driven by an obsession with his son's future ('putra-moh'). In his ambition to see his son, Jaivardhan Singh, occupy the post of state president, he has forgotten the meaning of party discipline," she said.

How Did BJP Respond?

The BJP has welcomed the opportunity to deflect attention from the pressure facing Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. Leaders who have frequently criticised Digvijaya Singh are now praising him for his "research" and willingness to verify the facts.

BJP spokesperson Dr Hitesh Bajpai complimented Singh, saying the former chief minister had "shown the mirror" to his own party leaders. Bajpai argued that while Congress leaders had made allegations without proper verification, Singh had at least examined the documents before speaking publicly.

Another BJP leader, Rameshwar Sharma, also praised Singh for taking what he described as a fact-based position.

The episode has given the ruling party some respite from the sustained attacks it had been facing from the Congress.

What Does This Mean for MP Congress?

The Madhya Pradesh Congress has since moved into damage-control mode, with both Patwari and Singh appearing together before the media on Tuesday.

"The entire Congress party in Madhya Pradesh is united in the fight against the corruption of the Dr Mohan Yadav government. All complaints related to land deals involving the state's Chief Minister and his family are being probed at our level. We all will unitedly fight a decisive battle on the issue," the two leaders said.

However, the internal factionalism that contributed to the fall of the Kamal Nath government in 2020 has once again resurfaced. The latest episode could make it more difficult for the Congress to present a united front at a time when the ruling BJP is facing sustained scrutiny in the state.