Congress Gears Up Its Organisation For Lok Sabha Polls In Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL: After Vidhan Sabha election, is both BJP and Congress have taken many steps to strengthen their organisation. One step the Congress has taken to oust such elements who by various acts of commission and omission, damaged party’s prospects in the election.

The Congress has to work very hard to gain their lost position. The party in the last Lok Sabha election could win only one seat – that too its traditional seat – Chhindwara, from where veteran leader Kamal Nath’s son Nakul Nath contested. As Kamal Nath contested Vidhan Sabha he set up his son from Chhindwara. Even Jyotiraditya Scindia, lost from his traditional seat. He was defeated by his former personal secretary.

State Congress Disciplinary Committee on Friday issued show-cause notices to 150 party turncoats who contested the assembly elections as independents or as a candidates from other political parties. However, none of these rebels won any seat in the state. The November 2023 assembly election turned out to be a direct contest between the ruling BJP and the Congress in 229 out of 230 seats. The BJP secured 163 seats while the Congress got 66. Only one seat Sailana – in Ratlam district – was won by Bharat Adivasi Party candidate Kamaleswar Dodiyar.

A release from the PCC office on Friday said “Meeting of the Disciplinary Committee was concluded today at the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee Headquarters. In the meeting, a major decision was taken regarding the complaints received against party workers who contested against Congress candidates in the recently concluded assembly elections. Show-cause notices have been issued to about 150 Congressmen from across the state and their replies have been sought within 10 days”.

Madhya Pradesh Congress Disciplinary Committee Chairman and State Congress Committee Treasurer Ashok Singh said that if a positive response is not received from those show caused and involved in anti party work within 10 days, then the Congress party will take action against them. “Those who had contested against the party’s candidates in the assembly election have already been expelled from the primary membership. Today the Disciplinary Committee has given its approval to that decision of expulsion of rebels also” he said.

Earlier, the party had expelled Durgesh Nandini for contesting as independent from Sheopur, Kuldeep Ding Sikarwar for contesting as BSP candidate from Sumawali, Ajay Singh Yadav for contesting as independent from Khargapur, Rajan Yadav for contesting as Samajwadi party candidate from Pawai. A total 41 prominent member of the party were expelled as they left after Congress did not give them tickets.

The state BJP spokesman Narendra Saluja argued, “The Congress Disciplinary Committee action is only a facade. A drama is being enacted against those who have already left the Congress and contested as rebels. While Congress candidate filed hundreds of complaints against party men involved in anti-party activities, action has not been taken against many who are supporters of the big leaders”.

Meanwhile rumour was circulating that Kamal Nath was likely to leave Congress and join the BJP. This rumour gained ground after Alok Sharma, a national spokesperson of the Congress publicly accused Kamal Nath of hobnobbing with BJP in the Vidhan Sabha election and held him responsible for the defeat of the Congress. After a few days the Congress has served a notice on Alok Sharma. It is intriguing that Sharma was not pulled up immediately and damage was done.

The BJP is too not leaving anything to chance. It is planning to start mass campaign after Ramlala ceremony on January 22. Guidelines for the massive campaign have been issued. According to these cluster in-charges have been appointed for three to five Lok Sabha seats each. All the 29 Lok Sabha seats of state have been divided in seven clusters and each cluster has been placed under one important leader.

A meeting of the cluster in-charges has been fixed for January 27. In this context considerable importance is being attached to the late night meeting between state president V. D. Sharma and national president J. P. Nadda.

Besides new CM Mohan Yadav is also making whirlwind tour of the state. Not only touring the state he made sudden visit to Bihar which is a dominant Yadav state. While in Bihar he interacted with various Yadav leaders. He also sent 5 lakh laddos to Ayodhya. (IPA Service)