Madhya Pradesh Congress Faces Tough Time From Within The Party As Inner Fights Surface Among Leaders

The ruling Congress party in Madhya Pradesh is having a tough time not from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but from within itself as several Congress leaders are at cross with each other. Despite the orders and directives from the central leaders, the state leaders continue to bicker and attack each other.

It has been more than 11 months since Congress came to power in the state. The government does not have an absolute majority and depends upon the support of the MLAs from its partners. These MLAs also keep throwing up tantrums from time to time, but it is the Congress party's own legislators and leaders who are creating more troubles for the party.

Laxman Singh, the senior Congress leader and brother of former chief minister Digvijay Singh, constantly criticises his own government. First he raised the issue of not waiving the loans of up to Rs two lakh for the farmers, then staged a sit-in at the residence of his brother Digvijay Singh to demand that Chachauda be made a district.

He even raised questions about Congress going with Shiv Sena to form the government in Maharashtra. He tweeted: "Political developments of Maharashtra are changing every time, Politics is the shade and sometimes it is sunshine. Politics, eat a lot here as if there is no tomorrow."

Congress national secretary general and former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also has been attacking the government by raising the issue of farmers. He has also questioned the transfers being made by the government and often writes letters to the Chief Minister regarding various problems. A few days ago, lot of political din was created after he changed his Twitter status and removed the Congress reference from his account information.

Apart from these big leaders, there are others who are regularly taking potshots at the government.

There is also Pohri Assembly MLA Suresh Rathkheda who is openly vehemently advocating for Scindia. He even said that if Scindia forms a new party, his name will be among the first ones who go with him.

Shobha Ojha, president of the party's media wing, tried to play down the internal bickering. She said that the Congress is a democratic party, everyone has the right to speak, but within the boundaries. She, however, added that the party is keeping an eye on all the statements.

Political analyst Ravindra Vyas says that the Congress does not have an absolute majority, and dissatisfied leaders of the party are trying to take advantage of this. Many leaders inadvertently increase the government's troubles by criticising each other in the public. In such a situation, the Congress also cannot take a tough or drastic stand for fearing of losing people thereby putting the government in danger.

(With inputs from IANS)