The Congress’s offensive against the Mohan Yadav government over alleged land deals in Ujjain has suddenly turned into an internal political crisis, with senior leaders of the Madhya Pradesh unit appearing divided over the party’s own charge that government land worth nearly Rs 500 crore was handed to a trust, Veer Bharat Nyas, for just Re 1.
What began as an attack on the BJP government has now exposed fault lines within the Congress.
The controversy started after Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari, along with the party’s media department chairman Pawan Khera, held a press conference in Delhi on June 24 and alleged that valuable government land in Ujjain had been allotted to Veer Bharat Nyas for a token amount of Re 1. Patwari questioned why land worth around Rs 500 crore was given to a trust whose trustee, Shriram Tiwari, is the Chief Minister’s cultural advisor.
But days later, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh held a press interaction in Ujjain and took a position that appeared to undercut the state Congress chief’s allegation. Singh said that, according to documents available with him, the trust was not a private trust but a government trust whose ex officio chairman is the chief minister.
“It is being alleged that land worth Rs 500 crore has been given to a private trust for Re 1. But I have all relevant papers with me, which establish that the land has not been given to any private trust. The concerned trust is a government trust. I do not speak on any issue without proper research,” Singh said.
He also added, “There is no dearth of ‘dalals’ who make false accusations and then earn money.”
That one word, “dalal”, has now set off a political storm inside the Congress.
While Singh later clarified that he had not used the word for Jitu Patwari or any Congress leader, the damage had already been done. His statement was widely seen in political circles as a rebuttal of Patwari’s line and gave the BJP an opportunity to target the Congress over alleged factionalism.
The issue exploded during the Congress Political Affairs Committee meeting in Bhopal, where leaders reportedly questioned the need for Singh to publicly differ from the state party chief on such a politically sensitive issue.
MLA Arif Masood said the differing statements of Singh and Patwari were discussed.
“I do not speak out of fear. I appreciate the suggestions offered. However, Digvijaya Singh and Jitu Patwari issued differing statements, which we discussed. We discuss matters within the party to strengthen it,” Masood said.
Former minister Sajjan Singh Verma said such people had been identified and action would be taken, while former MLA Praveen Pathak is said to have asked what answer workers should give to the public – whether Singh’s version should be considered correct or Patwari’s.
Former Leader of Opposition Dr Govind Singh said that “in such a large party, people express their feelings”.
“I do not believe there are any sleeper cells within the Congress. There is democracy in the Congress; everyone is free to voice their views,” he said.
The sharpest attack, however, came from within the Congress. State Congress general secretary Nidhi Satyavrat Chaturvedi, daughter of former MP Satyavrat Chaturvedi, posted a strongly worded statement targeting Digvijaya Singh.
“When will Congress be freed from the Naagpash of Digvijaya Singh?” she wrote, alleging that Singh’s “restlessness, anger and indecorous conduct” were driven by his “attachment to his son”.
She further claimed that in his ambition to see his son, Jaivardhan Singh, as state Congress president, Singh had forgotten party discipline.
The BJP immediately seized on the turmoil.
Madhya Pradesh Sports Minister Vishvas Sarang said the Congress had proved what the BJP had been saying all along that the opposition makes allegations without facts.
“Congress leaders themselves are calling Digvijaya Singh a sleeper cell. We have always maintained that Congress makes allegations without facts. Now their own leaders are exposing the factionalism within the party,” Sarang said.
Responding to Chaturvedi’s remarks, Sarang said that if such a charge was coming from a Congress leader, the party should take it seriously. He said the Congress was misleading people and that its internal conflict was now visible on the ground.
Former Union minister Arun Yadav also stepped in, urging senior party leader Rahul Gandhi and the central leadership to intervene.
In a post on X, Yadav, who also served as the Madhya Pradesh Congress president, said that at a time when loyal party workers were fighting ideologically against the BJP, some individuals were trying to break their morale.
“Only by combining the enthusiasm of the youth and the wisdom of the party’s experienced leaders can we confront the fascist ideology,” Yadav wrote, requesting the central leadership to strengthen organisational unity in Madhya Pradesh.
Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar later met Singh at his residence. The meeting, which lasted around 45 minutes, came amid a series of social media posts and internal discussions over the issue.
As the controversy gathered pace, Singh and Patwari appeared together before the media to project unity.
Both said the Congress was united in its fight against alleged corruption in the Mohan Yadav government.
“The entire Congress party in Madhya Pradesh is united in the fight against corruption of the Dr Mohan Yadav government. All complaints related to land deals by the chief minister and his family are being examined at our level. We will fight this battle unitedly,” they said.
Singh also clarified his “dalal” remark.
“Confusion is being spread about differences between me and Jitu Patwari. He is like my son. I have spent more than half a century in the Congress party. I can never use the word ‘dalal’ for any leader of the party, including the state party chief,” he said.
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