The Madhya Pradesh Congress appears to have adopted a strategic 'hands-off' approach in dealing with matters related to senior leader, former Chief Minister, and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijay Singh. The move reflects a growing internal rift, particularly between Singh and the current Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief, Jitu Patwari.
The latest indication of this calculated distancing came after derogatory posters targeting Digvijay Singh surfaced in Indore and Bhopal, branding him a “traitor” for allegedly opposing the Waqf Bill. The posters accused him of betraying the nation, his religion, and his ancestors—a serious and inflammatory charge in an already tense political climate.
Despite the personal nature of the attacks, the Congress media department issued a quiet directive through its official WhatsApp broadcast group on Friday evening, instructing all spokespersons to refrain from defending Singh or participating in television debates on the matter. The message, which is yet to be rescinded, underscores the party's tacit refusal to associate itself with the controversial veteran leader’s ideological positions.
Media Department Chairman Mukesh Nayak declined to comment on the internal order but confirmed that, as in Indore, the party would file a police complaint in Bhopal’s TT Nagar station, seeking an investigation into the origin and distribution of the offensive posters.
Political observers note that Singh's increasing ideological isolation within the Congress is not new. Often speaking from a platform of personal conviction rather than party line, Digvijay Singh has long been a maverick within the organization. His statements on contentious issues—including minority rights, terrorism, and religious policies—have frequently placed him at odds with mainstream Congress strategies.
This divide has only widened under the current PCC leadership. Jitu Patwari, known for his pragmatic and youth-oriented approach, has maintained a conspicuous distance from Singh’s brand of politics.
Unlike his predecessors who may have offered occasional symbolic support, Patwari has consistently avoided aligning with Singh's controversial stances. Sources suggest the two leaders share an uneasy equation, marked by ideological divergence and competing power aspirations within the state unit.
In what many interpreted as an attempt to reclaim public support and project his secular credentials, Digvijay Singh on Saturday visited three Hanuman temples across Bhopal, offering prayers in full public view. The move, while symbolic, drew attention for its timing—coming on the heels of the poster controversy—and seemed designed to counter the communal narrative being spun around him.
While Singh continues to wield influence within a faction of the party, the Congress’s decision to sideline him from the official discourse signals a deeper transition in Madhya Pradesh politics.
