Digvijaya: Cong will lose votes if I campaign

NEW DELHI: A viral video, showing Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh telling local party leaders that he won’t campaign because the party “loses votes whenever he speaks”, has sparked controversy less than six weeks ahead of the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh.

The video begins with Singh exhorting local leaders in Bhopal — including PCC treasurer Govind Goyal and Bhopal district acting president Kailash Mishra — that their dream of forming the government will not be fulfilled if they don’t work together. “Kam nahin karoge to khwab purna nahin hoga. Nahin banegi sarkar. Dushman ko bhi ticket mile to kam karo, jitao use hi (Even if your enemy is given a ticket, work for him and ensure he wins),” he says, before adding: “Main bas yehi karunga. Na to bhashan, na prachar. Mere bolane se to Cong ke vote kam hote hain (I will do only this. No speech, no campaigning. If I speak, Congress loses votes).”

So far, Singh has kept a low profile during campaigning. He has hardly spoken at public meetings and not interacted with the media either. Congress sources say he has largely restricted himself to the role of party’s backroom boy — meeting leaders of different factions throughout the state and working to bridge their differences.

However, considering Congress’s legacy of faction fights, the video has triggered speculation that despite the party high command’s best efforts, factionalism is smouldering in Madhya Pradesh Congress. Many also wonder if Singh — a two-term CM — has been asked to keep a low profile because of his propensity to make controversial statements.