At a time when the Congress is preparing for its 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, and Jai Samvidhan' rally in Madhya Pradesh's Mhow on January 27, state Congress president Jitu Patwari's remarks about the "cancer of groupism" within the party have sparked a political storm.
The rally, organized to honour Dr BR Ambedkar at his birthplace, has been overshadowed by Mr Patwari's candid acknowledgement of internal issues, providing the ruling BJP with new ammunition to attack the opposition.
Speaking at a gathering of Congress workers in Dhar district's Dharampuri on Sunday, Mr Patwari openly addressed the internal challenges plaguing the party.
"Congress is afflicted with the cancer of groupism. We'll have to end this cancer, or else we'll be finished. If we don't eliminate the cancer of groupism, then we all will be finished," he said.
In a pointed comment on sycophancy, he said, "Sycophants are present in every political party. We need to stay away from them."
As the remarks snowballed into a controversy, he later said that "unity is a way to make the party strong" and that it was "natural that such things are discussed within the organization".
"Whatever may have to be done to end factionalism in our party, I will do it and we will end it with courage and unity," he said.
BJP On Jitu Patwari's 'Groupism' Remark
Jitu Patwari's remarks, made just 70 kilometres from where the January 27 rally will take place, quickly went viral on social media, drawing sharp criticism from political opponents.
BJP spokesperson Narendra Saluja, a former Congress leader, also shared a video clip of Mr Patwari's statement on X.
"When we said there is factionalism in Congress, Patwari denied it. When Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh criticized Patwari in the political affairs committee meeting, he made Kamal Nath issue a false tweet to deny it. Now, in the home district of the Leader of Opposition (in the Madhya Pradesh assembly) Umang Singhar, Patwari himself admits to the cancer of groupism in Congress," he said.
Mr Saluja also demanded to know who Mr Patwari holds responsible for the "cancer".
"Is it Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh, Umang Singhar, Arun Yadav, or someone else?" he asked.
He further mocked the Congress, describing its internal issues as not just "cancer" but a "heart attack and kidney failure of factionalism."
The remarks were made in Dharampuri, Dhar district, the home turf of Mr Singhar, a four-term Congress MLA.
Despite the controversy, Mr Patwari has outlined a comprehensive strategy to revitalize the Congress in Madhya Pradesh: Grassroots Strengthening -- Assigning leadership roles to energetic individuals at panchayat and ward levels; Youth Leadership -- Empowering leaders under 50 to infuse fresh energy into the party; Social Harmony -- Ensuring inclusive representation across caste and community lines; Training Programs -- Equipping workers with ideological and organizational skills; and Eradicating Factionalism -- Prioritizing merit and collaboration over internal rivalries.
Congress' 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' Rally
The 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally in Mhow is a key part of the Congress' public outreach strategy. It comes a month after a row erupted over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on BR Ambedkar.
The event, to be attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, seeks to consolidate the party's support base among marginalized communities.
Both Mr Patwari and Mr Singhar are touring the Malwa-Nimar region to mobilize party workers for the rally.
However, the controversy over Mr Patwari's statement threatens to undermine these efforts.
