Will perform well in Lok Sabha elections under collective leadership: Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Patwari

Recently appointed Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari has said that his party, which faced defeat in the recently held assembly elections, will face the Lok Sabha elections next year under collective leadership and get positive results.

Patwari, 50, who hails from the Other Backward Class (OBC) community, was on Saturday appointed the state Congress chief, replacing veteran party leader Kamal Nath.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has retained power in the state by securing 163 seats in the 230-member assembly, elections for which will be held on November 17. Congress won 66 seats.

Reacting to his nomination, Patwari, speaking to reporters here on Saturday night, praised the Congress high command for giving a big responsibility to a “small worker” like him.

On a question, Patwari said that this is a natural process and along with respecting high level leaders, time is also needed on how to increase the participation of youth in Congress.

He said, “Kamal Nath (former Congress president) is our leader. Congress will move forward under the collective leadership and guidance of Kamal Nath, Digvijay Singh and other senior leaders. “Factionalism in Congress is over.”

On Saturday, the Congress named former minister of state Umang Singhar (48), a tribal, as its legislature party leader and Hemant Katare (38), a Brahmin, as its vice-president.

OBCs constitute 48 per cent of the state’s population and the ruling BJP has had four chief ministers from the region since 2003, namely Uma Bharti, Babulal Gaur, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the outgoing Mohan Yadav, who was sworn in on December 13.