With controversies marring the naming of the new Congress State Executive, Diwali is turning out to be a mixed bag of fortune for state unit chief Jitu Patwari, who is left with the unenviable task of building coherence between camp followers of senior party leaders.

Patwari has his task cut out for him as he must win over supporters of Kamal Nath, Digvijay Singh, Arun Yadav, Ajay Singh, and others. Sources close to Patwari say protests and resignations are uncalled for, as senior leaders were consulted before the names were announced.

The state executive body of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) was announced a few days ago after rounds of deliberations that lasted around 10 months, but the party's efforts have failed to resonate with leaders who are continuing to resign from their new responsibilities.

Ever since Jitu Patwari was made the president of Madhya Pradesh Congress, the new executive of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) was eagerly awaited.

As soon as the party's national president, Mallikarjun Kharge, approved the new list of the PCC, protests started in the state. Former Indore Congress President Pramod Tandon was the first to register a protest and resign from the post.

Indore is the home district of State Congress President Jitu Patwari. The result of the Lok Sabha elections was a setback for the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, as this time the BJP won all 29 Lok Sabha seats here, and the Congress could not open its account. In 2019, Congress had won one seat—Chhindwara—but this time it conceded that seat as well.

After the election results, it was expected that the Congress would promote new leaders under the leadership of Jitu Patwari. However, the spate of protests suggests that this move is not working.

Two days ago, former Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Ajay Singh, pointed towards "some senior leaders who hijacked the party" for the defeat of the Congress.

Since the new list of the state Congress in Madhya Pradesh came out, many leaders have pointed out that only those loyal to former Chief Ministers—Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh—have been given a place in the new executive.

According to Congress sources, out of the 17 vice-presidents appointed in the new committee, four names are from Kamal Nath's camp, while more than half of the 71 general secretaries are loyal to Kamal Nath. There is also a fair number of Digvijay Singh's close associates among the general secretaries.

A senior Congress leader has expressed surprise that the trusted people of former Union Minister Suresh Pachauri, who left the Congress and joined the BJP, have also been included in the PCC.

The shadow of nepotism is also clearly visible in the new executive of the state Congress. In this, former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh's son and MLA, Jaivardhan Singh, has been made the state vice-president.

Besides, former Union Minister Kantilal Bhuria's son, Vikrant Bhuria, has been made the general secretary, and former state president Arun Yadav's brother, Sachin Yadav, has been named as a vice-president. Digvijay Singh's relative, Priyavrat Singh, has also been elevated to vice-president.