The Congress party on Saturday announced the appointment of Jitu Patwari as the President of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, replacing former chief minister Kamal Nath after the poll rout in the heartland state. Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh, Deepak Baij will continue as the Congress state President, another statement informed. 


Umang Singhar has been appointed MP Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader while Hemant Katare has been chosen as the Deputy Leader.


"The party appreciates the contributions of outgoing PCC President, Shri Kamal Nath," Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal wrote in a statement, adding, "Hon'ble Congress President has also approved the proposal of the appointment of Shri Umang Singhar, as the CLP Leader and Shri Hemant Katare as the Deputy Leader of Madhya Pradesh".


50-year-old Jitu Patwari was elected as a legislator from the Rau constituency for the first time in 2013. Currently serving as the Congress Secretary and in charge of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee, he has also been the President of the Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress. Notably, Patwari contested again from the Rau constituency in the recent elections but faced defeat against BJP's Madhu Verma.


Patwari, known for his proximity to Rahul Gandhi, previously served as a minister in the Kamal Nath government.


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Chhattisgarh Congress MLA Charan Das Mahant Appointed As CLP


In another development, the party has appointed Charan Das Mahant as the CLP Leader of Chhattisgarh while Deepak Baij will continue as the President of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee.



Regarding this decision, a statement informs, "Hon'ble Congress President has approved the proposal of the appointment of Shri Charan Das Mahant as the CLP Leader of Chhattisgarh, with immediate effect. Hon'ble Congress President has also approved the proposal to continue Shri Deepak Baij as the President of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee."


Charandas Mahant is a former speaker of the state assembly and MLA from the Sakti constituency. From 2004 to 2013, he held the post of working and full-time Congress Chhattisgarh chief.


Notably, the party has chosen to not go with former CM Bhupesh Baghel as CLP Leader of Chhattisgarh.


“As far as I know, Baghel is not interested in the post. I do not know whether he has expressed high command or not but he does not want any post in the party for sometime after the assembly elections results,” Hindustan Times quoted a close aide of Baghel as saying in its report.


The Congress, which was hopeful of coming to power in the recently concluded assembly election in Madhya Pradesh, could manage to win only 66 out of the 230 seats while the BJP won 163 constituencies in the state.


In Chhattisgarh, the Congress faced a shocking defeat to the BJP as it managed to win only 35 out of 90 seats while the BJP returned to power with 54 seats. The Congress failed to secure a second consecutive term.


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