Sources: Kamal Nath Urged to Resign as Chief of Madhya Pradesh Congress

According to sources, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath has been asked to step down as the state Congress chief following the party’s significant defeat in the recent state elections. The party high-command has requested him to submit his resignation.

Despite exit polls predicting a close race, the BJP secured a massive victory in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress, buoyed by its recent win in Karnataka, was hopeful of ousting the BJP from a state it has controlled since 2003. However, the BJP’s dominance remained intact as it came to power in 2020 after Congress veteran Jyotiraditya Scindia defected to the BJP with his loyal MLAs, leading to the collapse of the Kamal Nath government.

The Congress was so confident of its victory that posters congratulating Kamal Nath on becoming the Chief Minister were displayed outside the party’s office in Bhopal before the vote counting for the 2023 Assembly election began. However, the final tally left the party shocked.

The Election Commission of India reported that the BJP won 163 seats, more than double the Congress’ 66 seats. Kamal Nath, who led the Congress campaign in the state, took responsibility for the party’s poor performance and acknowledged the need to analyze their inability to connect with voters.

Data revealed that the Congress lagged behind the BJP in the communication battle long before the election. The BJP conducted 634 rallies, whereas the Congress held only 350. This imbalance likely contributed to the BJP’s resounding victory.

The BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003, except for a brief period between December 2018 and March 2020 when the state had a Congress government under Kamal Nath.