BJP Mocks Congress After Ex-MPCC Chief Arun Yadav Calls for Unity Amid Party Factionalism

File photo of a Congress rally. Arun Yadav's call for unity in state unit prompts reaction from BJP.

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh:

Former Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Arun Yadav's social media post emphasizing that "speeches alone will not suffice" to counter toxic ideologies has provided the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) an opportunity to criticize the Congress' organizational campaign.

Yadav's comments emerge at a particularly challenging time when the MPCC is already grappling with internal conflicts.

In his post, Yadav stated, "It is impossible to fight toxic ideologies with speeches and statements alone. We will fight with everyone in coordination and unity for our ideology, keeping everyone together. Only then will our dream of forming a government in the state be realized. If we adopt even one percent of the courage and honesty with which our leader Rahul Gandhi is fighting in Madhya Pradesh, the path of struggle will become easier."

These remarks come amid persistent dissent within the Congress following its organization creation campaign. Previously, CWC member and former minister Kamleshwar Patel questioned the effectiveness of state leadership and the in-charge, while a former Bhopal district president claimed irregularities in the membership drive.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh showed support by sharing Yadav's post, while senior leader and former law minister PC Sharma clarified, "The objective of both Arun Yadav and Kamleshwar Patel is not to weaken the Congress. The Political Affairs Committee will discuss all these matters. The PCC chief and the state in-charge must work in coordination."

The BJP was swift to respond. BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma remarked, "This is the Congress's lazy organisation-building program. Meetings are held, fights break out, the stage collapses, people throw each other off the stage, and kurtas and pajamas are torn. The more intense the fights in meetings, the stronger the Congress appears. From what Arun Yadav, Kamleshwar Patel, and others are saying, this is their new organization-building mantra. Now let's see what happens next."

Since December 2023, Jitu Patwari has taken over from Kamal Nath as the state Congress president—a change reflecting the party's efforts to revitalize its leadership after electoral defeat.

Meanwhile, longtime rivals Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh have historically led separate factions within the state party, often exchanging subtle criticisms and competing for influence during Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) decisions. Recently, the veteran leaders appeared to indicate a truce. Singh had previously attributed the collapse of the Congress government in 2020 to Nath's leadership during a podcast interview, reopening old wounds.

Nath responded with restraint. Leaders close to Patwari attempted to minimize these differences, reminding party members of the longstanding personal relationship between the two leaders and stressing the importance of focusing on the future rather than past disputes.

Against this backdrop, Yadav's appeal for ideological unity and coordinated action occurs amid renewed examination of Congress's internal cohesion and provides the BJP fresh material to critique a party long troubled by factionalism.