‘There is no disconnect between youth leaders, veterans in MP Cong’

THE EXPRESS INTERVIEW

OVERCOMING anti-incumbency of almost two decades, the BJP won the November 2023 Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, getting 163 of the 230 seats,reducingthecongressto66.

Leading the battered Madhya Pradesh Congress unit amidst this challenge is former state minister Jitu Patwari, who talks about the exodus of Congress leaders to the BJP, his strategy for the party’s revival, and plan for the Lok Sabha polls. Excerpts:

What is the roadmap to rejuvenate the party?

Congress workers are present in every lane and village, but there is a need to synchronise them all. But we did lose the elections and we need to improve. I am not denying this.

I have set a roadmap to develop an ideological, cadre-based organisation. After I took over, there were the Rajya Sabha nominations, the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.now,wehavetheloksabha elections. The process to strengthentheorganisationisunderway.workerswillbegiventhe rightdirection.ourpartyisstrong.

How do you plan on bringing back tribal votes?

Tribal and SC voters have understood that the BJP is seeking 400 seats (across the country) to change the Constitution. And I am not saying this, the RSS has said this. BJP MP Anant Hegde said this clearly in front of the nation. They (the people) understand that voting for the BJP means changing Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution.

You recently campaigned with a donation box, seeking funds as the Congress’s bank accounts were frozen. The BJP, meanwhile, is sparing no expense.

We are holding agitation programmes across India and trying to make people understand that the BJP under PM Modi will seal the bank accounts of Opposition leaders, file cases against them, send them to jail, and win elections under any circumstance. There is a danger to democracy.

The BJP claims that over 16,000 Congress leaders in MP have joined the party …

JITU PATWARI

There are 141 people who were raided by the Income Tax Department, ED and other agencies; 121 of them joined the BJP. This means that the BJP will use any means to harass and attack the Opposition. The BJP is using police to scare booth-level workers. Those who are scared and greedy are leaving. The BJP talks about thousands of leaders leaving … They are lying.

Many Congress leaders who have left cite as reason the fact that the party's top leadership did not attend the Ram Mandir ceremony.

These people (who have left the Congress) are trying to hide their sins and corruption. They need an excuse. The Congress was in power under Rajiv (Gandhi) ji when the locks (of the makeshift Ram temple inside the Babri Masjid complex) were opened. We then went on to welcome the Supreme Court’s judgment on Ayodhya. There is no question regarding the belief about Ram.

Do you think there is a disconnect between the youth and veteran Congress leaders in the state?

There is no distance between us. If you see my campaigning, you will see the presence of Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh, Ajay Singh, Arun Yadav and others. I am with everyone in the party.

Was there any friction between Kamal Nath and you?

Iwentforhisnominationrally, made speeches in his support. There are many other programmesthathavebeenplanned.

MP CONGRESS PRESIDENT