Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh has openly backed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for a larger organisational role within the party, stating that she possesses “tremendous political ability” and deserves greater responsibility. Speaking exclusively to ThePrint, Singh questioned why the Wayanad MP continues to serve as a general secretary without a defined portfolio, arguing that her political acumen has not been fully utilised.

‘She deserves greater responsibility’

“She certainly deserves greater responsibility. Today she is a general secretary without a defined organisational charge. I don’t understand why. She should be entrusted with a serious responsibility within the AICC,” Singh said. When asked directly if Priyanka has the political acumen for a larger role, he replied emphatically: “Absolutely. She has tremendous political ability. Enormous ability.”

Singh, 79, made the remarks as he announced his own departure from organisational politics. After five decades in public life, he said he would step away from day-to-day party matters, including ticket distribution and appointments, and instead focus on social reform, defending constitutional values, and opposing communal politics.

Stepping back from organisational politics

“Life has been very kind to me. God has been generous. The Congress party has also given me far more than I could ever have asked for. I’ve had a long and fulfilling political career. Now, I believe I have reached a stage where I should devote more time to social reform than to day-to-day politics,” Singh stated. He clarified that he no longer wishes to be involved in decisions such as who becomes the District Congress Committee president, who becomes the Pradesh Congress Committee president, or who gets a ticket for the assembly elections. “Those decisions are no longer my concern. The younger generation should take those responsibilities.”

Singh’s term in the Rajya Sabha ended on 9 April, and he had already announced in January that he would not seek another term. He unsuccessfully contested the 2024 general elections from Rajgarh in Madhya Pradesh. Despite stepping away from organisational roles, he intends to remain politically active in a different capacity. “My role now is different. I want to work to strengthen constitutional values. I want to ensure that the Constitution is respected. I want to see that the rule of law prevails. I want elections to remain free and fair. And I want to oppose every form of communal politics,” he explained.

The veteran Congressman added that communalism – whether from Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs or any other community – is “the greatest danger facing this country”, and that is where he will devote his energy in the years ahead.

Biggest lesson from five decades in politics

Reflecting on his long career, which began as the general secretary of the District Congress Committee and later included stints as general secretary of the State Youth Congress, Pradesh Congress Committee president, and AICC general secretary, Singh shared the fundamental lesson he has learned: managing contradictions is the primary responsibility of any political organisation.

“Differences are inevitable in politics. Every political party has leaders with ambitions, differing opinions and competing interests. The organisation’s job is to bring everyone together despite those differences. Politics is always about give and take. I have often said that the best organisational leader is not the one who delivers the biggest speeches. The best organisational leader is the one who knows how to manage contradictions. Every political leader wants at least one thing – to be heard. If there is no space for dialogue, dissatisfaction inevitably grows,” he said.

Singh stressed that this principle applies universally, not just to the Congress. “No. I’m saying this about every political party. This is a universal principle of politics.”

Support for Meenakshi Natarajan and criticism of Election Commission

Singh also defended the party’s decision to nominate Meenakshi Natarajan to the Rajya Sabha in his place, calling her “an outstanding choice” – articulate, simple, and deeply Gandhian. He sharply criticised the Election Commission for the rejection of Natarajan’s nomination papers, alleging double standards. According to Singh, there was no case, FIR, or cognisable offence against her, yet her papers were rejected, while a BJP candidate in Jharkhand was given 24 hours to rectify mistakes in nomination papers.

“There was no case against her. No FIR. No cognisable offence. Then under which provision was she expected to mention a case number in her nomination papers? There simply was no case to disclose. So why was her nomination rejected? And look at the double standards. In Jharkhand, when a BJP candidate made mistakes in the nomination papers, he was given 24 hours to rectify them. Our candidate was not even given 12 hours. Even then, once the matter reached the Election Commission, the EC should have examined the observer’s report and taken a fair decision. I, therefore, demand that the Election Commission make public the observer’s report regarding the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha election in which Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination was rejected,” he added.

Singh dismissed speculation that the rejection was orchestrated from within the Congress, calling such theories “absolute nonsense”. He questioned who could have known in advance that the returning officer would reject the nomination, and argued that no one within the party would sabotage its own candidate.

On the INDIA bloc and state-level rivalries

Addressing the future of the opposition INDIA bloc, Singh noted that while the alliance remains relevant at the national level, it was never conceived as a state-level alliance. “The first thing we need to understand is the nature of the INDIA bloc. It is an alliance at the national level. It was never conceived as a state-level alliance. At the state-level, constituent parties often fight each other. Look at Kerala, West Bengal. In many states, alliance partners are political rivals. That is simply the reality of Indian politics. So, we cannot expect a uniform alliance in every state. But at the national level, all of us are united in opposing the ideology represented by the RSS and the BJP. That is the basis of the INDIA bloc,” he said.

On the possibility of a Congress-Trinamool Congress alliance in West Bengal to prevent the BJP from winning, Singh maintained that the Congress was in favour, but Mamata Banerjee was politically confident at that point and chose not to be part of such an arrangement. “That wasn’t the Congress’s decision.”

Internal democracy and leadership accessibility

Responding to criticism that the Congress suffers from a lack of internal democracy, Singh said his own experience with the party leadership had been very different. When it was pointed out that a former Congress chief minister had claimed it was easier to get an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi than with Rahul Gandhi, Singh said he could not relate to that assessment.

“Well, I’ve never sought an appointment with PM Modi, so I can’t comment on that comparison. But as far as the Congress leadership is concerned, my experience has been completely different. I’ve never had any difficulty meeting Mallikarjun Kharge. I’ve never had any difficulty meeting Rahul Gandhi. Nor did I ever face any problem meeting Sonia Gandhi when she was Congress president. So, I cannot agree with that assessment.”

Singh added that leadership styles differ from person to person, and that does not necessarily mean a party is undemocratic. “It depends on the individual occupying the position. Leadership styles differ.”

Defence of Shashi Tharoor and freedom of expression

The Congress veteran also defended senior leader Shashi Tharoor, who had recently drawn criticism from party ranks for praising Prime Minister Modi’s handling of Indian sailors’ safety and for making ‘normalcy’ remarks on Kashmir. Singh disagreed with the view that Tharoor sometimes crosses the party line. “No. You cannot place every political leader in a straitjacket. Leaders should have some room to express themselves. Why shouldn’t they? Shashi is a very good friend of mine. He is one of the most articulate and intellectually brilliant leaders in our party. We share a warm personal relationship and discuss many issues. I have the highest regard for him.”

Singh’s stance on Tharoor reflects his broader philosophy that differences of opinion should not be seen as indiscipline. He believes that political leaders must have the freedom to express themselves, and that the party must accommodate a diversity of views to remain vibrant.

Relationship with Jitu Patwari and Madhya Pradesh Congress

On his relationship with Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari, Singh dismissed suggestions of serious differences. “Differences are natural in politics. Jitu Patwari’s father and father-in-law were both my political colleagues. Jitu is like a son to me,” he said. This comment underscores Singh’s long-standing ties to the state’s Congress leadership and his desire to see the party united ahead of future electoral battles.

Background and career highlights

Digvijaya Singh’s political career spans more than five decades. Born in 1947 in Madhya Pradesh, he joined the Congress in 1971 and rose through the ranks to become a five-time MLA, a minister in the state government, and later the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh from 1993 to 2003. During his tenure, he implemented several social welfare schemes, including the Education Guarantee Scheme, which improved primary education access in rural areas. He also served as a member of the Lok Sabha and spent 13 years in the Rajya Sabha. His role as AICC general secretary saw him handle responsibility for several states, including Punjab, Goa, and Tamil Nadu. Known for his sharp political analysis and organisational acumen, Singh has been a key figure in the Congress party’s strategic decisions for decades. His decision to step back from organisational politics marks the end of an era, but he remains a vocal advocate for constitutional values and secularism.

Source:MSN News