"Rahul Gandhi, Look At Congress": Behind Digvijaya Singh's Call For Reforms

Digvijaya Singh's remark has given the BJP fresh ammunition to target the Congress leadership, as the party finds itself surrounded by disgruntled leaders.

27 Dec 2025, 11:48 · www.ndtv.com

The Congress has been left red-faced yet again after a senior leader openly raised the need for reforms within the party. Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh, former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, has not only called on Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi to look into his concerns but also claimed that it's "not easy" to convince him.

The remark gave the BJP fresh ammunition to target the Congress leadership, as the grand old party finds itself surrounded by disgruntled leaders from time to time.

Singh's remark snowballed into a controversy moments before senior Congress leaders gathered for a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body in the party, to discuss the government's move to rename the MGNREGA jobs scheme.

His public comment did not just leave the party embarrassed but also underlined the urgent need for looking into the concerns of senior leaders, especially with figures like Shashi Tharoor often finding themselves at odds with the party's functioning.

Digvijaya Singh's Reform Call

Singh had last week highlighted the need for decentralisation in the Congress, as he sought reforms in the way the party functions. Tagging Rahul Gandhi in an online post, he even said that he is not someone who can be easily convinced.

"Rahul Gandhi ji, you are absolutely "Bang On" in matters of Socio-Economic Issues. Full Marks. But now please look at @INCIndia also. Like @ECISVEEP needs Reforms, So Does Indian National Congress. You have started with "organisation creation" But we need more Pragmatic Decentralised Functioning. I am sure you would do it because I know you can do it. Only problem is that it is not easy to "Convince" you," the post read.

The BJP had targeted Gandhi over his remarks, saying that the Leader of the Opposition speaks about democracy across the country, but everyone knows how much democracy prevails within the Congress.

Singh's post from December 19 gained attention this morning after he praised the BJP and its ideological parent, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in a new post.

He shared a black and white photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the 1990s, which showed BJP veteran LK Advani attending an event in Gujarat. A young PM Modi is seen sitting on the floor, near Advani. Referring to PM Modi, Singh praised how grassroots workers who once sat on the floor could grow within the Sangh-BJP ecosystem and become Chief Minister and Prime Minister.

"I found this picture on the Quora site. It is very impressive...the way the grassroots swayamsevaks (workers) of RSS and the workers of Jan Sangh @BJP4India sit on the floor at the feet of leaders and become the Chief Minister of the state and the Prime Minister of the country. This is the power of the organization. Jai Siya Ram," Singh said.

Later, issuing a clarification, he said he had only praised the organisation and that he remains a staunch opponent of the BJP and RSS.

Sources in the Congress have said that the party would learn from its own past and not from the RSS and BJP.

Behind The Call For Reforms

Singh's remarks have sparked discussions within political circles, with many believing that his concerns are valid and that the Congress must now act, in view of the party's continuous electoral defeats. While similar concerns have been discussed within the party earlier as well, a senior leader raising it in public indicates the seriousness of the matter.

The senior leader has flagged that after state presidents are appointed, they fail to form committees at the state level, resulting in a lack of decentralisation of power. Moreover, his discomfort could also be due to leaders not aligned with him holding key positions in the party. This includes Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari and the leader of the state legislative party, Umang Singhar, who are both considered "anti-Digvijaya leaders."

Sources suggest that the reason behind Singh's discontentment could also be due to the end of his Rajya Sabha tenure early next year. A third term appears unlikely for Singh, with Kamal Nath and Meenakshi Natarajan already being in the queue, and they could be the frontrunners for his seat.

However, many suggest that Singh is not concerned about his own political future—he has served as chief minister for two terms—but that of his son, Jaivardhan Singh, an MLA who has recently been appointed as a district chief in Madhya Pradesh.

Besides, questions are also being raised over several organisational roles, including KC Venugopal continuing as the General Secretary (Organization). There have been demands to expand the role of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the party and elevate her to that position.

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