BHOPAL: Amid a hectic Bihar Assembly election campaign, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi took time off on Saturday to address the Madhya Pradesh Congress unit’s training camp for newly appointed district and city chiefs at the hill station of Pachmarhi.
The former Congress president spoke to leaders appointed under the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan, an organisational restructuring initiative launched by him from Bhopal in June.
Gandhi emphasised the need to strengthen the organisation, ensure ideological clarity, and build a direct connect with the public to prepare for the 2028 Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh.
The address and his preceding meeting with senior state leaders came as the Election Commission of India began a Special Intensive Revision of voter lists in the state.
According to party sources, Gandhi urged the Congress leadership at all levels to “battle the BJP bravely,” saying such determination was key to forming a Congress government in 2028.
At the training session, Gandhi reportedly said the Congress had been losing elections in Madhya Pradesh by narrow margins. “We’ve to fight the elections bravely, which alone could result in the formation of a Congress government in MP,” he said.
He urged district and city chiefs to work inclusively, strengthen the organisation at the grassroots, and raise the issues of ordinary citizens—particularly farmers—more assertively.
Before addressing the camp, Gandhi chaired a meeting with senior state leaders, including MPCC chief Jitu Patwari, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, former minister Kamleshwar Patel, and former Union minister Arun Yadav.
His 19-hour stay in Pachmarhi’s assumed significance as he had reportedly expressed displeasure two months ago over some appointments made under the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan in the BJP-ruled state.
Sources said the meeting covered organisational issues and political challenges in the BJP-ruled state, with one senior leader stressing the need for key decisions to be made by consensus.
After the session, Gandhi was expected to dine with district and city unit chiefs and their families before returning to Bihar on Sunday morning to resume campaigning. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge is also expected to address the training camp soon.
Earlier on Saturday, before flying to Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi posted on X a video showing children being served mid-day meals on scrap paper at a government school in Sheopur district’s Vijaypur block.
“I’m going to Madhya Pradesh today. Ever since I saw that children are being served mid-day meals in newspapers, my heart has been shattered. These are the same innocent children on whose dreams the future of the country rests, and they aren’t even getting a plate of meal with dignity,” the Congress MP wrote.
“Over 20 years of BJP government, and they’ve even stolen the children’s plate – their development is just an illusion. The PM and CM should be ashamed over this, India’s future is in a pitiable state,” he added.
Meanwhile, mocking Gandhi’s visit to Pachmarhi, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said at a poll rally in Bihar, “One can very well understand the condition of Congress and Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, as one of their star campaigners Rahul Gandhi has preferred to escape the poll battleground to be on a pleasure trip in the hills of our state. It’s like a groom running away while the decorated horse is ready to take him to marriage.”