The internal discord within the Congress party in Madhya Pradesh has resurfaced, creating significant political turbulence. Jitu Patwari, the state Congress president, had attempted to corner the government led by Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav over alleged corruption, but his efforts were neutralized by none other than his own party veteran and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh. Following remarks made by Singh in Ujjain, the Congress party finds itself on the back foot regarding its narrative on government corruption.
The 500 Crore Rupee Allegation
Last Thursday, Jitu Patwari held a press conference in Delhi where he directly accused Chief Minister Mohan Yadav of presiding over a scam. Patwari claimed that government property in Ujjain, originally developed by the Scindia family and valued at approximately 500 crore rupees, had been leased for just one rupee to the 'Veer Bharat Nyas', a trust managed by Shriram Tiwari, who serves as the Chief Minister's cultural advisor. Patwari questioned the integrity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's anti-corruption stance, asking why such valuable land was handed over at such a nominal price.
Digvijaya Singh Offers a Clean Chit
While visiting Ujjain on Sunday, Digvijaya Singh completely rejected the accusations made by Patwari and effectively granted a clean chit to the Mohan Yadav government. Presenting official documents to support his stance, Singh emphasized that he does not make statements without thorough research. He clarified that the organization in question is not a private trust but a government one. According to Singh, the Chief Minister serves as the ex-officio chairman of this trust, a position that was also held by Kamal Nath during his tenure as Chief Minister.
Direct Attack on Middlemen
Without explicitly naming Jitu Patwari, Digvijaya Singh launched a sharp attack against those propagating the corruption narrative. He remarked that there is no shortage of middlemen in the country who fabricate false allegations for financial gain. By showcasing registration papers from the Registrar of Public Trusts, he maintained that the 'Veer Bharat Sansthan' is a registered public trust and therefore, the allegation of a scam regarding the one-rupee lease is baseless.
BJP Seizes the Opportunity
This statement from Digvijaya Singh has provided the BJP with a significant opportunity to target the Congress. The BJP pointed out that the party's most senior leader has debunked the claims made by his own state president. According to the BJP, Digvijaya Singh's comments have effectively settled the debate over who the real middlemen are within the opposition party.
