Madhya Pradesh’s opposition Congress received a jolt today as Ater MLA Hemant Katare resigned from his position as Deputy Leader of Opposition. Attributing the decision to overwhelming family commitments and neglected constituency work, Katare has handed in his papers to the party’s top brass.
The resignation letters reached Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, state chief Jitu Patwari, and Umang Singhar, signaling a potential recalibration within the opposition front. Dr. Sanjay Kamle, the party’s organization general secretary, confirmed the news while stressing the personal nature of Katare’s compulsions amid challenging times.
Crucially, Kamle underlined that Katare’s loyalty to Congress is unwavering, with the resignation confined to his leadership role alone. Acceptance of the move now hinges on Patwari and national leaders.
Hailing from a politically influential family – his father Satyadev was a former opposition leader – Hemant Katare emerged as a strong voice for Congress in the Gwalior-Chambal belt. Appointed deputy leader soon after his 2023 Ater victory, he represented a new era alongside Singhar.
His assembly record boasts aggressive advocacy: aggressively pursuing the Indore water contamination scandal at Bhagirathpura, alongside broader demands for official accountability on public woes.
The development coincides with a turbulent phase for opposition politics, featuring raucous sessions, government critiques, and strategic walkouts. While no immediate replacement is declared, sources hint at upcoming leadership consultations.
Party veterans view this as Katare’s individual call, detached from factional tensions. He participated actively in Friday’s proceedings until 4 PM, post which the resignation was submitted – on his own wedding anniversary.