No factionalism in MP Congress, claims Digvijaya

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday denied that his party's Madhya Pradesh unit was facing factionalism, and blamed the media for such reports.

The MP Congress has been in the midst of a churn with various groups talking in different voices over who should be next state unit chief, a post currently held by Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

A letter written by Singh to state ministers asking for information on action taken on his works and transfer recommendations opened up another front with a state minister accusing the former of "destabilising" and "blackmailing" the Nath government.

"There was no factionalism in the state Congress earlier, nor is it there today. Only the media keeps running such stories," he told reporters.

He feigned ignorance about reports that party chief Sonia Gandhi had been apprised of the infighting in the state unit.

Defending himself over the letters he sent to state ministers, Singh asked, "Have you read what I wrote in these letters? If you gave me a paper (application related to some government work), will I forward it or not?"
On allegations of interfering in the work of the Kamal Nath cabinet, he said, "I am a member of Rajya Sabha. I am not part of state government. So my signatures are not needed for any government work."