BHOPAL — What began as a high-decibel Congress offensive against the Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led BJP government over an alleged ₹500 crore land scam has dramatically backfired, triggering a severe internal crisis within the Madhya Pradesh Congress. A public contradiction by veteran leader Digvijaya Singh against State Congress President Jitu Patwari has exposed deep factional fault lines, leading to allegations of “sleeper cells” and internal sabotage.
The political storm intensified during a tense Congress Political Affairs Committee meeting in Bhopal, where several leaders openly questioned the party’s cohesion and demanded central intervention.
The Root of the Conflict: A Rebuttal in Ujjain
The controversy originated from a press conference held in Delhi on June 24, where Jitu Patwari and Congress media head Pawan Khera alleged that valuable government land in Ujjain worth ₹500 crore was handed over to a private trust, Veer Bharat Nyas, for a token amount of Re 1. Patwari pointed out that the trust’s trustee, Shriram Tiwari, serves as the Chief Minister’s cultural advisor.
However, the narrative was completely upended days later when former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh held a press interaction in Ujjain. Armed with documents, Singh directly contradicted his own state party chief, declaring:
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Government Control: Singh asserted that the trust was not a private entity but a government-run trust with the Chief Minister acting as its ex officio chairman.
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The “Dalal” Remark: Singh added, “There is no dearth of ‘dalals’ (brokers) who make false accusations and then earn money.”
Though Singh later clarified that the comment was not aimed at Patwari, the remark immediately fueled public perception of severe infighting and deeply demoralized grassroots party workers.
Internal Backlash and Familial Ambitions
The fallout inside the Congress was swift and aggressive. State Congress General Secretary Nidhi Satyavrat Chaturvedi launched a scathing public attack on the veteran leader, asking when the party would be freed from the “Naagpash (serpent’s noose) of Digvijaya Singh.” She alleged that Singh’s actions were driven by an “attachment to his son,” claiming he was intentionally undercutting Patwari to position his son, Jaivardhan Singh, for the state unit’s top post.
Other senior leaders expressed deep concern over the mixed messaging:
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Arif Masood (MLA): Confirmed that the conflicting statements were heatedly debated during the internal committee meeting to protect the party’s image.
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Arun Yadav (Former Union Minister): Formally requested Rahul Gandhi and the central leadership to intervene, warning that such internal contradictions break the morale of workers fighting the BJP on the ground.
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Dr. Govind Singh: Attempted to downplay the crisis, rejecting the “sleeper cell” label and attributing the discord to internal party democracy.
The BJP Seizes the Opportunity
The ruling BJP capitalised on the opposition’s disarray. Madhya Pradesh Sports Minister Vishvas Sarang stated that the Congress had vindicated the BJP’s long-standing position. “Congress leaders themselves are now calling Digvijaya Singh a sleeper cell,” Sarang mocked. “This proves that the opposition makes reckless allegations without doing any factual research, and their internal friction is completely out in the open.”
A Unified Damage Control Exercise
In a bid to control the spiraling narrative, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar held a private 45-minute meeting with Digvijaya Singh. Following the huddle, Singh and Jitu Patwari made a joint media appearance to project an image of solidarity.
Reiterating that Patwari is “like a son” to him, Digvijaya Singh strongly denied any malice. In a joint statement, both leaders announced that the party remains completely unified and is actively researching all land deals associated with the chief minister’s family to mount a collective offensive.
