I am MP Cong boss: Kamal Nath

Amid growing whispers in the party on the widening gulf between veteran leader, Digvijay Singh and former chief minister Kamal Nath, the latter on Saturday sent a message to his rival camps in Congress in Madhya Pradesh declaring that he was boss of the party in the state.

The Congress election manifesto released for the crucial by-elections to

28 assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, scheduled for November

3, by Nath did not carry Singh’s photograph, raising many eyebrows in the party here.

The poll manifesto featured members of the Nehru-Gandhi family prominently.

Nath who holds the dual posts of Pradesh Congress committee president and Congress legislature party leader, is the sole party leader in MP who featured in the poll manifesto.

“Nath has sought to send a message to the party cadres that he is the boss in Congress in MP, by not carrying Singh's photograph in the poll manifesto. The significant omission has left Singh's camp worried and annoyed”, a senior Congress leader told this newspaper requesting anonymity.

Incidentally, Nath is seen steering the party campaign for the upcoming assembly by-elections single-handedly .He was virtually the lone senior leader of the party in the stateholding rallies and addressing public meetings to canvas for party candidates in the by-elections.

Fissures in the party came to light when a video showing senior party leader and former minister, Jitu Patwari, considered close to Singh, taking the opinion of a voter on the performance of the 15month-old Nath government that was ousted from power in March this year, went viral last week. The woman voter was heard saying in the video that it was not adequate. The video has caused a flutter in the Congress.

The election manifestos released last fortnight for the 28 assembly constituencies separately had also sparked a row in the party after it was found that Rahul Gandhi’s photograph was missing in them.

Talking to reporters on the occasion of release of the poll manifesto of his party, Nath said chief minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has done literally nothing in the last seven months, except making announcements on various schemes.

● TALKING TO reporters on the occasion of release of the poll manifesto of his party, Nath said chief minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has done literally nothing in the last seven months, except making announcements on various schemes.