Indore
The issue of appointment of the State Congress Committee President is in its final stages. With recent activity of CM Kamal Nath in Delhi, it is clear that PCC will get its new chief in a day or two. It is also almost certain that the new Congress will be the from Malwa-Nimad region. According to sources, state’s Home Minister Bala Bachchan and Forest Minister Umang Singhar were being considered as toppers in this race so far, but these two young ministers are not getting consent of the state satraps, hence another powerful Cabinet Minister of OBC class Jitu Patwari is believed to be at the forefront of this race. 40 to 50 years age criteria
The top leadership of the Congress has asked the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and the outgoing state chief Kamal Nath to make an agreement with the other two satraps, National General Secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia and former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh in the matter of PCC chief. In this regard Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi have also made it clear that the state president should be in the 40 to 50 age group. The three claimants of Malwa-Nimar who have emerged for this position fit in the criteria. The trio of Bala Bachchan, Jitu Patwari and Umang Singhar fall under this group. These three leaders are considered to be the most efficient ministers of the state government.
Bala Bachchan and Umang Singhar are from the adivasi community, whereas Jitu comes from the Patwari Khati (OBC) community. Until Monday night, it was news that Umang Singhar, the national secretary and co-in-charge of Jharkhand, is at the forefront. But on Tuesday afternoon, sources said that Singhar will accept the position only if he is able to retain his ministerial post, that is, in other words, he will not lose the ministerial post for the post of State President. Regional balance in favour of Malwa Nimar The Malwa Nimar region played key role in the formation of BJP government in the state. Therefore the regional balance in favour of a state president from this region.
While Congress performed poorly across all key states in North India in Lok Sabha elections, it faced an electoral bloodbath in a direct contest with the BJP. Out of this, the biggest disappointment was in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, where it had defeated the BJP in state elections just six months ago. Out of the 65 parliamentary seats three states represent, the Congress managed to retain just three, virtually giving a walkover to the BJP. Party leaders said that despite their push for a ‘constructive campaign’ around a nationwide farm loan waiver and minimum income guarantee scheme, or NYAY, its campaign did not find resonance with the people and only those candidates who were strong locally, ended up winning. Leaders said the results were unexplainable.