LoP Singhar’s role as MP Adivasi Vikas Parishad chief signals Congress’ hope to reconnect with tribals

Bhopal: Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar, recently appointed president of the MP Adivasi Vikas Parishad (MP-AVP), has given the Congress in the state a new hope of reconnecting with tribals and mobilising them towards the party.

Established in 1980 in undivided Madhya Pradesh, the Parishad was a key factor in the Congress’ success in tribal regions until about two decades ago. However, due to weaker leadership, it lost influence among tribal communities, allowing the BJP to gradually gain ground.

With the appointment of Singhar on December 12 last year as the chief of the Parishad, its activities have again geared up among the tribal communities as he announced the management executive on January 15 days after taking charge of the body.

An MP-AVP leader stated that the president has included all tribal-dominated areas, communities, and influential leaders in the body, appointing 8 vice presidents, 12 general secretaries, a secretary, a treasurer, 12 organization secretaries, and the presidents of the youth and student wings, along with 10 special invitees. “Under Singhar’s leadership, the Parishad will successfully mobilize the tribal population towards Congress again,” he added.

Singhar, currently the leader of the Congress Legislative Party in the state Assembly, has been representing the Gandhwani seat continuously since 2008 and is known as a prominent Adivasi leader.

He has been cabinet Minister for the Forest portfolio in the Kamal Nath-led Congress government, Singhar played a crucial role in the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly polls in the tribal-dominated constituencies for Congress’s win as an in-charge secretary for the state.

The organisation is dedicated to the development of tribal communities in the state with the objectives of preserving tribal culture, advocating for the rights of their populations, and facilitating socio-economic progress among these communities.

The MP-AVP is closely associated with the Congress, functioning as a platform to engage with and address the concerns of tribal communities in the state.

In Madhya Pradesh, the Parishad plays a pivotal role in the Congress party’s strategy to connect with tribal voters, who constitute a significant portion about 22 percent of the state’s population.

Leadership within the Parishad often overlaps with political roles in the Congress party. For instance, the organization’s chiefs, including founder president Bhanvar Singh Porte, Dilip Singh Bhuria, and Kantilal Bhuria, have been affiliated with the Congress.

In the state, 47 out of 230 Assembly seats are reserved for STs, and tribals have significant populations in 86 Assembly seats.

This significant tribal representation underscores their influence in both the state assembly and Lok Sabha, highlighting their pivotal role in shaping Madhya Pradesh’s political landscape.