Newly-appointed MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari meets Rahul Gandhi in Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) Newly-appointed Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday and discussed the way forward for the party in the state in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls.

After meeting Gandhi, Patwari also stressed the resolve to take the party's ideology to the people.

In a post on Facebook, Gandhi said he met Patwari and Leader of Opposition in the state Umang Singhar as well as Deputy Leader of Opposition Hemant Katare.

Congratulations and best wishes to them for their new responsibilities, he added.

In a post on X, Patwari said, "Met today respected Shri @RahulGandhi ji, our guide and senior leader determined to protect the priceless values and democratic dignity of India's great democracy." "There is immense enthusiasm among the Congress family members of Madhya Pradesh. We will move forward with new energy by taking everyone's love, support and blessings. Will take the ideology of the Congress to the people with full dedication," he said.

Patwari also met senior leaders and party MPs Digvijaya Singh and Vivek Tankha.

Heralding a generational shift in the party, the Congress replaced Kamal Nath as its Madhya Pradesh unit chief on Saturday and appointed Jitu Patwari in his place.

The development came days after the party's humiliating defeat in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, where the Congress, led by Nath, failed to dislodge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. The Congress could win only 66 seats, while the BJP won 163 seats in the recently-concluded election.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also appointed Singhar as the CLP leader and Katare as his deputy. PTI