The birthday celebrations of senior Congress leader and former Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh ‘Rahul Bhaiya’ on Tuesday turned into a significant political event, as hundreds of supporters gathered at his residence. The real surprise, however, came with the arrival of Amarpatan MLA Dr Rajendra Singh, Ajay Singh’s maternal uncle, who personally wished him on his birthday despite the two being perceived for long as belonging to different poles in Vindhya Congress.
For years, Ajay Singh and Dr Rajendra Singh have carried reputations of running parallel power centres in Satna and the wider Vindhya region. Ajay Singh, heir to the legacy of late Union Minister and Chief Minister Arjun Singh, has wielded influence in Churhat and Rewa districts, while Dr Rajendra Singh has nurtured a strong base in Satna. Their estrangement often deepened factionalism, leaving Congress divided on the ground and giving BJP a decisive edge in successive elections. Tuesday’s gesture is therefore being seen as more than just familial courtesy. It comes close on the heels of another unexpected development- Ajay Singh’s meeting with former Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh, few days ago. Ajay Singh had famously not been on good terms with Digvijaya Singh for decades, with their rivalry shaping internal Congress equations in Madhya Pradesh. His visit to Digvijaya Singh’s residence only a few days ago surprised political circles and indicated a possible thaw.
Taken together, Ajay Singh’s outreach to Digvijaya Singh and Dr Rajendra Singh’s appearance at his birthday suggest a larger realignment within the party. Observers believe this could be the beginning of a new lobby forming in Congress, potentially aimed at countering the growing clout of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Jitu Patwari.
With organisational restructuring underway, such shifts carry weight in determining the party’s strategy.
Vindhya has been a weak link for Congress, where factionalism has cost it dearly. Ajay Singh himself has acknowledged in the past that internal conflicts among senior leaders have kept the party out of power. If the newly emerging equations lead to a reduction of hostilities between prominent Vindhya leaders, it could give the Congress cadre a morale boost.
For grassroot workers, the sight of uncle and nephew standing together was symbolic of a potential new beginning. Whether these gestures translate into a sustained front against the PCC leadership remains to be seen, but for now, Ajay Singh’s birthday has provided a snapshot of shifting currents in Madhya Pradesh politics.
