Corridors of Power: The Chief Secretary’s havan, Congress rulebook on meeting Amit Shah and AAPs bulk message to all

Current Update: 3 min readBhopalUpdated: Jul 10, 2026 05:25 AM IST Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari. (File Photo)The arrest of two alleged drug peddlers in Indore has triggered a political row after police claimed that one of the intended recipients of the seized narcotics was Nana Patwari, the brother of Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari. Addressing the media, Deputy Commissioner of Police Narendra Rawat said, “Rajendra Nagar police arrested Irfan Khan alias Golu Chanderi and Rani Bhai, and 10.8 grams of brown sugar was recovered from their possession. The process of registering a case against both accused is underway.”“During interrogation, the accused disclosed that the seized narcotic substance was meant for two persons, one of whom is Nana Patwari. We also examined his criminal record and found that Nana Patwari has nine previous criminal cases registered against him,” the officer said. The DCP said preliminary interrogation of the two accused revealed they were going to deliver the consignment of brown sugar to two individuals named Nana Patwari and Manav Gangwani. Police have not publicly disclosed whether Nana Patwari has been arrested in the case. The investigation is underway to verify the claims made during the accused’s interrogation and establish the alleged supply chain. The police action drew a sharp political response from Jitu Patwari, who alleged that his brother had been taken into custody without prior intimation and accused the BJP government of using law enforcement to settle political scores. In a post on X addressed to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Patwari wrote, “The Indore Police have taken my brother into custody without informing us, sending the political message that the BJP is now taking revenge. Anyone who raises their voice against the government or the Chief Minister will be silenced through the use of law.”Story continues below this ad Patwari further alleged that he had anticipated “false legal action” against him and his family because of what he described as the government’s “personal vendetta.” “We will neither be intimidated nor bow before politics driven by legal pressure. Instead, we will continue our fight with greater resolve,” he said. Senior Congress leader Vivek Tankha said he was “informed by Jitu Patwari that the Indore Police suddenly arrested his younger brother without informing him of any offence and did not inform the Patwari family where he had been taken.” “I urge the DGP, the Indore Police Commissioner and the Indore Divisional Commissioner not to create a situation that could become troublesome in the future,” Tankha said. This comes hours after former Madhya Pradesh Congress general secretary and ex-spokesperson Rakesh Singh Yadav joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, accusing Patwari, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar and AICC in-charge Harish Chaudhary of “running the party like brokers”.Story continues below this ad The Congress has rejected Yadav’s allegations, claiming he had not resigned but was expelled from the party on disciplinary grounds. Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chro

Prior Reporting: 4 min readChandigarhJul 8, 2026 01:51 AM IST Tensions within the Punjab Congress continued Tuesday as the dissident faction, primarily led by former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, maintained a distance from key organisational meetings convened by AICC General Secretary in-charge Bhupesh Baghel at the Punjab Congress headquarters. Out of the three newly appointed working presidents, only two — Raj Kumar Verka and Sukhwinder Singh Danny — attended the meeting called by Baghel while Channi loyalist Sangat Singh Gilzian stayed away. There were also notable absentees from the meeting of the district presidents called by the Baghel, with at least five staying away, even as state Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring tried to play down their absence.The day started with Baghel holding a breakfast meeting with Verka, following which, the latter paid a visit to Channi. While Verka was tightlipped about what transpired at the meeting he emphasised that there were no differences between him and Channi. “Elections are approaching, and we are preparing for it. If anyone wishes to express their views, they may do so; if anyone has a grievance against a specific individual or feels a decision was incorrect, they can voice their concerns to Baghel. If someone wants to speak directly to Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, or KC Venugopal, they will be called there. I have met Channi. No one should harbor the misconception that I am at odds with Channi. Channi is with me, and I am with Channi. All of us are with the Congress,” Verka said. The Punjab Congress headquarters in Chandigarh was a beehive of activity as party leaders from across the state trooped in for a show of strength for the beleaguered PCC president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. Speaking to media at the Congress office, Warring justified the absence of senior leaders of Channi group by saying that Channi had clarified the matter regarding his absence for a few days. “There was a meeting of the chairpersons yesterday which was attended by Vijay Inder Singla and Dr Amar Singh, and Channi had informed everyone that he would be away for a day or two. He also spoke to Bhupesh Baghel yesterday, and when Bhupesh Baghel addressed the media in the evening, he clarified that Charanjit Singh Channi would be out for two days,” said Warring.Story continues below this ad Warring continued to emphasise that election related meetings were being held as usual during the five day visit of Bhupesh Baghel. “Today, we held a meeting with our PCC executive, including the treasurer, the three working presidents, the organisation general secretary, the PCC president, and members of the various PCC committees. We discussed the party’s strategy and the way forward. If you say that three or four of our district presidents did not attend today’s meeting, please verify the facts. Two of our district presidents are currently on the Amarnath Yatra…,” he said. Meanwhile, commenting on Baghel’ svisit, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said, “He wishes to meet all the leaders, resolve minor differences, and focus on preparations for the upcoming election… If there are any minor differences, they will be resolved, and everyone will unite on a common platform… We have to ultimately sit at the table to talk…” Referring to the stance taken by Channi and his supporters, Bajwa said he can meet anyone but he should do so while remaining in the ‘Laxman Rekha’. “He knows that things cannot be resolved in a lawyer’s chamber, which will eventually lead to the case being taken up to the Supreme Court… There are minor differences in each family, and they can be resolved,” he said. Bajwa added that Congress is a democratic party full of experienced long-term members. “I urge leaders to stay united if they aim to bring change in Punjab,” he said.