The Congress party has taken decisive action following its disappointing performance in the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, removing Kamal Nath as its MP unit chief. Jitu Patwari has been appointed as Nath's successor, as confirmed by a statement issued by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal.
The announcement read, “Hon'ble Congress president has appointed Shri Jitu Patwari as the President of Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, with immediate effect. The party appreciates the contributions of outgoing PCC president, Shri Kamal Nath.”
The shake-up in leadership also includes Umag Singhar being appointed as the Congress leader in the MP assembly and Hemant Katare as its deputy. This major reconfiguration within the party comes in the aftermath of the recent assembly poll defeat in Madhya Pradesh.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to defy a two-decade-long anti-incumbency wave and secured a resounding victory, claiming 163 out of the 230 seats. In contrast, the Congress tally plummeted to 66 seats, down from their 2018 count of 114, which previously enabled them to form the state government.
Addressing the media after the electoral setback, Kamal Nath emphasized the need for introspection, stating, “We will analyze the loopholes and why we were not able to make the voters understand our point. We will hold discussions with all, be it a winning or losing candidate.”
Nath, who had a brief tenure of 15 months as chief minister, faced a challenging period when 23 MLAs rebelled against his government, leading to a minority status in the assembly. Despite this setback, he secured a victory in Chhindwara in this election by a substantial margin of over 35,000 votes.
Jitendra alias Jitu Patwari, Nath's successor, previously served as a minister in Nath's government. However, despite winning from Rau in 2018, he faced defeat this time, losing by a margin of more than 35,000 votes.
The Congress' decision to restructure its leadership in Madhya Pradesh reflects the party's commitment to reassess its strategies and rebuild its position following the recent electoral setback in the state.
