Madhya Pradesh Congress finds itself caught in a swirl of speculation about trouble within its ranks. A short clip showing some shuffling over seating arrangements on a stage has spread quickly across social media, and it is now being used to raise questions about the party's internal equations.
What the video actually shows
The footage is from the press conference held after Meenakshi Natarajan, the Congress party's lone Rajya Sabha candidate in the state, had her nomination rejected. Moments before the event began, state Congress president Jitu Patwari is seen managing the seating for the senior leaders present on the stage. As he says something, former chief minister and senior party leader Digvijaya Singh rises from his chair and moves to sit elsewhere.
Once Digvijaya Singh vacates his place, senior Congress leader Harish Chaudhary is seen taking the now empty seat. It is precisely this sequence that has set political circles buzzing.
Social media split down the middle
Reactions since the clip surfaced have fallen into two camps. Some dismiss it as a perfectly routine arrangement, while others read it as a sign of leadership tussle and protocol within the party. Adding to the chatter, another video tied to the same press conference appeared to show an awkward, tense exchange between Digvijaya Singh and Harish Chaudhary, which has only deepened the speculation.
The rejected nomination behind it all
The root of the controversy lies in the Rajya Sabha election. After the rejection of Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination, the party convened the press conference to put forward its position. Several videos and photographs from that same event have been doing the rounds on social media for the past few days. Ever since the nomination was thrown out, the Congress has been holding continuous protests and pinning the responsibility on the BJP.
BJP goes on the offensive
The moment the video went viral, the BJP seized the opening to target the Congress, sharpening its attacks over the alleged unease inside the party. The Congress, for its part, has so far offered no official response to the clip.
