Bhopal: Veteran leader Kamal Nath has paid the price for Congress’ humiliating defeat at the hands of BJP in the recent Assembly election.
The former chief minister was on Saturday removed as the party president of Madhya Pradesh Congress. He was replaced by Jitu Patwari.
“Hon’ble Congress president has appointed Shri Jitu Patwari as the President of Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect. The party appreciates the contributions of outgoing PCC president, Shri Kamal Nath,” said a statement issued by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal.
BJP avoided anti-incumbency woes by winning 163 seats while Congress got 66 – down from 114 in the 2018 polls — in the 230-member Assembly.
The Congress named Umag Singhar as its leader in the MP assembly and Hemant Katare as deputy.
Despite his party’s rout, Nath won from Chhindwara by a over 35,000 votes, while his successor Patwari from Rau constituency by more than 35,000 votes.
Nath had served as the state’s chief minister for just 15 months before 23 Congress MLAs rebelled to reduce his government to a minority in the assembly.
BJP’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan then assumed charge for the fourth time, leading his party to victory. However, the saffron party didn’t reappoint Shivraj and, instead, picked first-time MLA Mohan Yadav as chief minister.
