Ujjain: A controversy generated due to appointment of a ‘rebel’ person as a member of government advisory committee has not only exhibited struggle for domination in district Congress, but has also put PWD and district minister in-charge Sajjan Singh Verma in a wrong box.
REINS IN HANDS OF NATH SUPPORTERS
Right since incarnation of the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, supporters of Chief Minister Kamal Nath started ruling the roost. Sajjan Singh Verma, who is a known as Nath loyalist, was made district minister in-charge while former MLA Batuk Shankar Joshi, an old lieutenant of Nath, was already in command of both the party organisation and government machinery. Between January-April 2019, several severe differences of opinion between Verma and Joshi and their supporters, as well, came to fore. During Lok Sabha election, both of these leaders tried hard to ensure party’s victory from Ujjain parliamentary area as CM had promised the Congress high-command to perform well in the election.
HOW THINGS BECAME BITTER?
But, in between this both Joshi and Verma succeeded in re-connecting Jai Singh Darbar and Maya Trivedi into the party fold. The Pradesh Congress Committee had expelled both of them for six years in wake of contesting the assembly election 2018 from Ujjain South and Ujjain North constituency, respectively. Here, the Congress had fielded Rajendra Vasishtha and Rajendra Bharti, respectively, who are close aides of Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia. Ironically, the number of votes polled in favour of Darbar and Trivedi was almost similar to the number of votes by which Vasishtha and Bharti lost the election. At that time also Vasishtha and Bharti along with other senior party leaders had opposed giving access to Darbar and Trivedi.
EMERGENCE OF PARMAR’S GROUP
Soon after Lok Sabha election, a new group emerged in the district Congress under the leadership of Tarana MLA Mahesh Parmar. Initially, Parmar was supposed to be the hardcore confident of Joshi, but numerous instances came during past four to five months indicated that the former has dominated the later. It is also reported that rest three MLAs of the district including Dilip Singh Gurjar, Ramlal Malviya and Murli Morwal have also extended their support to Parmar observing that domination of Joshi and Verma often play spoilsport for them in their respective areas. Most interestingly, Parmar is considered to be the liking of CM Nath and during his rule he is the biggest gainer in the district so far.
WHY OPPONENTS DID NOT DIGEST UPLIFTMENT?
Meanwhile, upliftment of Darbar and Trivedi in district affairs could not be digested by the party rank and file, in general, and those, in particular, who they caused harm in the assembly election. Minister Verma’s acts to take Darbar along with him in government events were opposed by the partymen and they got angry when the former appointed the later as a member of district electricity advisory committee. It led to huge criticisms both in public domain and at the party level, too. It is learnt that Joshi recommended Darbar’s name which Verma duly accepted. Party leaders said that Joshi this way tried to ascertain that what will be the reaction of opponents if his nearer Trivedi got uplifted.
JOSHI’S GAME PLAN!
Congress leaders opined that by pushing Darbar’s name so as to make the ways of Trivedi stronger, Joshi won pleasure of both of them but this tactic proved harmful to minister Verma. During past 14 to 15 months Verma had done excellently to reunite the partymen and bring them under Congress’ umbrella. He visited the district so frequently that even the observers also started saying that as if he is a localite. Verma by participating in occasions related to sorrow and pains drew people’s attention. Most of the party workers also praised him for responding to them every time personally as well as through the mobile phone. However, this image of Verma got shaken as a flood of criticisms were made against him in the backdrop of Darbar’s appointment. For Darbar also, who himself enjoys a good reputation owing to his social works and who remained corporator as well as District Congress Committee (rural) president for a long time, this appointment was insignificant and rather proved a damp squib.
DARBAR TENDERS RESIGNATION
After four days of harsh criticisms, Darbar finally on Thursday in his face saving exercise tried to defend minister Verma. Hitting out at his opponents, Darbar said that all of them have hand in gloves with the BJP. Thanking CM, minister in-charge and Joshi, he tendered his resignation from the membership of district electricity advisory committee.
CLARIFICATIONS!!
Joshi clarified that he has nothing to do with the appointment of Darbar as it was the jurisdiction of the minister in-charge to appoint whom or not. When contacted by Free Press, Verma said that Darbar was asked by the PCC chief and CM Kamal Nath to work for the party in Lok Sabha election and he was given an opportunity to work as district electricity advisory committee member after his dedicated work. “Me and my party does not practice use and throw policy, but Darbar has done right thing by tendering his resignation in wake of allegations leveled against me,” Verma commented.
