Kamal Nath out Patwari in as MP Cong chief, Mahant replaces Baghel as CLP leader of Chhattisgarh

New Delhi: The Congress high command has appointed new leadership teams in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where the party recently lost Assembly elections. The leadership on Saturday evening replaced Kamal Nath, who led the party in Madhya Pradesh to its defeat in the election, with a younger Jitu Patwari, who belonged to OBC, as the Madhya Pradesh PCC president even though the latter lost the elections.

Nath had held the PCC president's post for more than five years. In Chhattisgarh, senior leader Charan Das Mahant was named as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in place of Bhupesh Baghel, the Chief Minister who led the party to defeat. Mahant will be the Opposition leader in the Assembly. All appointments were made by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC release said.

Both Mahant and Baghel belong to the OBCs. However, Deepak Baij will continue as the Chhattisgarh PCC president given he was appointed only months ahead of the polls.


The leadership also appointed tribal leader Umang Singhar as the CLP leader of Madhya Pradesh in place of outgoing Opposition leader Govind Singh, who lost the election. Umang, a multi-time MLA and an AICC secretary, is the nephew of late Jamuna Devi, who was a deputy Chief Minister of the State in the 90s. Hemant Katare, a Brahmin, is appointed as the deputy CLP leader of MP.

The changes in Rajasthan Congress are awaited.