The Madhya Pradesh Congress finds itself grappling with internal discontent over the timing of a 12-day training camp for newly appointed district presidents, even as the party struggles to complete the appointment of Booth Level Agents (BLAs) across the State.
The decision to hold the training camp in Pachmarhi during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise has sparked unease among several leaders, who believe the move has diverted attention from more urgent organisational responsibilities.
Former Minister and chairman of the party’s SIR Monitoring Committee, Sajjan Singh Verma, has openly voiced against the timing of training session.
The total number of polling booths in Madhya Pradesh is 65,014. According to party functionaries, the Congress has so far managed to appoint around 44,000 BLAs across the 230 Assembly constituencies. The figure remains considerably below the target set by the party leadership.
The delay has raised concerns within the organisation, given that BLAs play a central role in booth management, voter outreach, and data gathering—functions seen as critical to the Congress’s grassroots revival efforts ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.
Former Minister and chairman of the party’s SIR Monitoring Committee, Sajjan Singh Verma, acknowledged the shortfall in appointments but expressed optimism that the process would be completed shortly.
He stated that all constituencies would have their respective BLAs appointed by Wednesday. At the same time, Verma conceded that the party could have reconsidered the timing of the district presidents’ training camp. He remarked that, in view of the ongoing SIR process, it might have been prudent to defer the training for a few days to ensure that field-level work received undivided attention.
The Congress had appointed its district presidents nearly three months ago, with the immediate mandate to complete BLA appointments. However, despite this timeline, the task remains unfinished. Party insiders admit that the simultaneous conduct of the SIR exercise and the training camp has created a logistical overlap, slowing the pace of organisational coordination. Several district units have reportedly struggled to balance participation in the residential training programme with the pressing demand of completing ground-level appointments.
Political observers suggest that the development underscores the Congress’s broader coordination challenges in Madhya Pradesh. The overlap between strategic planning and operational execution, they note, has repeatedly hindered the party’s ability to maintain momentum in its grassroots work. With the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) already strengthening its booth-level structures across the State, the Congress’s delay could place it at a disadvantage in the months to come.
Party sources said the leadership was reviewing progress and would take corrective steps to ensure the timely completion of BLA appointments. The coming days, they added, will be crucial for the Madhya Pradesh Congress to demonstrate that it can balance internal training with field preparedness as it works to rebuild its organisational base ahead of the next electoral cycle.
