Sonia Gandhi Meets Kamal Nath As Madhya Pradesh Congress Infighting Grows

This is Kamal Nath's second meeting with Sonia Gandhi in the last 10 days

Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi on Saturday met Madhya Pradsh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and expressed concern over infighting in the party.

Kamal Nath, who landed in Delhi on Saturday morning, arrived at Sonia Gandhi's residence in the evening. The meeting lasted for over an hour.

Speaking to media, Kamal Nath, also the Madhya Pradesh state party chief, said, "I met Sonia Gandhi and she expressed her concern over indiscipline in the party in MP."

The remarks come at a time when a full-fledged war rages between the Jyotiraditya Scindia faction and the rest. Many Scindia supporters are openly venting their anger against Kamal Nath and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh.

This is Kamal Nath's second meeting with Sonia Gandhi in the last 10 days. On August 30, during his meeting with the UPA chairperson, Kamal Nath said the party needed a new state unit chief after the Lok Sabha polls. Denying any differences with Mr Scindia, he said, "It's wrong to say Scindia is angry."

According to party leaders, Sonia Gandhi is collecting feedback from the Congress leaders over the new state party chief and a decision is likely in 10-15 days.

Miffed over the infighting and many leaders demanding through the media that Mr Scindia be made the state party chief, Sonia Gandhi on Friday sought a report in 10 days from state in-charge Deepak Babaria.

Followers of senior party leaders have launched a rancorous fight to grab the state party chief's post. Several party leaders recently wrote to Sonia Gandhi that Mr Scindia be made the state chief.

According to speculations, Digvijaya Singh is opposed to Mr Scindia's elevation to the post of state party chief.

Jyotiraditya Scindia was in the race for the Madhya Pradesh chief ministership after the Congress returned to power ousting the BJP government. But then Congress chief Rahul Gandhi named long-time Congress loyalist Kamal Nath to the post.

Mr Scindia was earlier this year handed over the responsibility of UP West ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Last month, Sonia Gandhi made him chairman of the screening committee for Maharashtra, where the Assembly polls are scheduled later this year.