Did Cong Celebrate the 100th Birth Anniversary of Ex-MP Assembly Speaker Srinivas Tiwari in Rewa?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Srinivas Tiwari was a key political leader in Madhya Pradesh.
- The celebration marked his 100th birth anniversary.
- A life-sized statue was unveiled amidst political tensions.
- The event highlighted the rivalry between Congress and BJP.
- Congress's influence in Rewa has declined since Tiwari's passing.
Rewa, Sep 18 (NationPress) The Madhya Pradesh Congress commemorated the centenary of former Assembly Speaker (late) Srinivas Tiwari with a significant event held in Rewa district.
Esteemed Congress leaders, such as former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, party state president Jitu Patwari, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, ex-Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh, along with numerous legislators and former ministers, were present at this gathering.
During the event, a life-sized statue of Srinivas Tiwari was unveiled, and attendees shared their fond memories of the ex-Speaker, affectionately referred to as 'dada' or the 'white tiger' of Rewa.
A dispute between the BJP and Congress regarding the statue's installation was resolved just a day before the event, allowing for its unveiling.
This resolution followed a period of tension, where police had previously halted pedestal construction, claiming the land was theirs.
Security personnel were deployed at the site. Notably, Srinivas Tiwari's grandson and ex-MP, Sundarlal Tiwari's son, Siddharth Tiwari, is a BJP MLA representing the Teonthar Assembly seat in Rewa.
Siddharth transitioned to the BJP ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections. Speaking to Congress supporters at the event, Jitu Patwari remarked: 'Both Srinivas Tiwari and his son, ex-MP Sundarlal Tiwari, were formidable leaders in Congress, steadfast in their party's ideology.'
Srinivas Tiwari, born on September 17, 1926, in Rewa district, served as Assembly Speaker during the Digvijaya Singh-led Congress government from 1993 to 2003.
He exerted considerable influence in Rewa and the broader Vindhya region. His political career was marred by controversies, including the mysterious death of a tribal child and the appointment of 36 family members to state government roles, which drew national attention.
His political journey ended in 2003 when he was defeated by BJP's Girish Gautam in the Mangavan Assembly seat. Gautam, a senior BJP MLA from the Devtalab seat, had also previously held the position of Assembly Speaker during Shivraj Singh Chouhan's last term as Chief Minister.
Tiwari passed away at 91 in a New Delhi hospital in 2018. Following his death, Congress's influence in Rewa has waned, a region that was once a stronghold for the party.
In the 2023 Assembly elections, Congress managed to secure only one out of eight seats in the district, which borders Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur-Varanasi and Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad).