By Express News Service
BHOPAL: After getting the man of his choice, Kamal Nath appointed Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president, seasoned politician and former chief minister Digvijay Singh is all set to embark on a statewide political trek from May 15.
The trek which will cover all 230 assembly constituencies of the poll-bound state is being seen as Singh’s return to active politics in MP, after 15 years of self-imposed exile from state’s politics.
Importantly, the statewide political trek will start from the world famous Ram Raja Temple (considered MP’s Ayodhya) in Orchha town of Tikamgarh district (350 km from Bhopal).
According to Singh’s trusted aide and former Lok Sabha member Rameshwar Nikhra, the yatra will be a trek aimed at readying grass-root workers of the party for the big poll battle, the year end assembly polls in the state where Congress has been out of power since 2003.
Nikhra said that Singh has finalized the yatra after detailed discussions with party’s national general secretary in-charge for Madhya Pradesh, Deepak Babaria.
“The yatra will see Singh connect with all the workers of the party, particularly those who might have become dormant or sleepy over the last one and half decade of BJP rule in the state. Singh will rejuvenate them for getting ready for the big poll battle in November-December,” said Nikhra.
The yatra which will start from Ram Raja Temple is also being seen as Congress brand of temple and soft Hindutva politics which was visible in other parts of the country also, where national party president Rahul Gandhi was seen offering prayers at all prominent temples.
According to sources in the MP unit of the party, Gandhi himself is likely to symbolically start the election campaign in the state after offering prayers at world famous Mahakal Temple in Ujjain in coming weeks.
Informed sources added that Singh’s yatra covering all assembly seats could well be ensued by a similar statewide yatra by newly appointed state party chief Kamal Nath.
Importantly Singh along with wife Amrita Rai had recently completed the six-months long Narmada Parikrama (circumambulation of river Narmada) which was a non-political yatra covering MP, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
On the conclusion of the yatra in Narsinghpur district, all senior MP Congress leaders, except Jyotiraditya Scindia were present on the big stage. The grand culmination ceremony on the banks of river Narmada saw nine-time Chhindwara MP Kamal Nath fly down from Delhi to Narsinghpur to be part of the program. The bonhomie between the two septuagenarian leaders of the opposition party was ensued by Singh making it clear to the central party leadership that Nath was his choice for the state party chief’s post.
