When you hit rock bottom, the only way you can go is up. The age-old dictum is proving right for the Congress, as a delay in the announcement of the state executive is helping the party garner greater contributions from its leaders in Madhya Pradesh.
Ironical as it may sound, a staggering of the announcement has worked to Congress's benefit and assisted state unit party chief Jitu Patwari in cornering the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party through state-wide agitations over soybean support prices and rising crimes against women and children.Patwari, who was appointed at the helm of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee soon after the assembly election debacle for the party in December 2023, is perhaps coming to terms with late Prime Minister Narasimha Rao's observation that "inaction is action in itself."
After decades in the doldrums, Congress has gained considerable ground in the state under Patwari, who has been ironically but robustly supported by the delay.Over the years, the announcement of the party state executive has led to protests and faction feuds between the various regional warhorses and satraps that comprise the grand old party in the state.
This time too, the announcement was expected to trigger trouble for the Congress, especially as several new and young leaders are in the fray for a position in the MPCC, owing to the migration of a large number of party leaders to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
While talk of the state executive started soon after Patwari's elevation, the Congress central leadership has staggered the announcement in an ostensible effort to allow Patwari to consolidate his position before the state executive takes charge.
Formation of Congress state units has never been an easy equation, as several elements, including regional balance and satrap egos, need to be factored into the combination before it is placed for public scrutiny.Aspiring positions in the state executive, Congress leaders and workers are known to fully dedicate themselves to political work in the months leading up to the announcement, as they believe that the limelight would help them secure a better position in the party.
Party insiders say that this time all the regional satraps—Kamal Nath, Digvijay Singh, Arun Yadav, Ajay Singh, and their supporters—are actively participating in party programs and agitations in their respective regions.
In keeping with party tradition, the supporters of these senior leaders are expecting to be included in the state executive and are wholeheartedly participating in party programs.During former Union Minister Kamal Nath's tenure as PCC Chief, there was a jumbo state executive, as more than 2,000 party leaders and workers were included in the body to avoid the possibility of a free-for-all between the various factions.Party sources predict that the state executive will be much smaller this time around, and only a select few will find a place. They added that Patwari is likely to announce his new executive soon, as he is buoyed by the recent success of party agitations.
State Congress Media in-charge Mukesh Nayak told The Pioneer that though the announcement was expected earlier, the new state body will now be declared during Navratri. Notably, the central leadership of Congress is busy with assembly elections in Haryana, and the results will be declared on October 8; it is highly unlikely that the announcement will precede the results.
