# Congress appoints Avadhesh Nayak after Datia win; Uma Bharti seeks BJP review

2026-08-07T10:00:51+00:00 | Politics | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

Congress has appointed former BJP leader Avadhesh Nayak as state general secretary, rewarding him for his work in the Datia by-election victory. Nayak, a Brahmin leader, had stayed with Congress despite being denied a ticket twice. The post came on the recommendation of AICC in-charge Harish Chaudhary. Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti, in a social media post after the defeat, urged a deep review of the party's strategy. "We lost the Datia byelection, and that has caused me deep pain," she wrote. The Madhya Pradesh Congress will hold a Political Affairs Committee meeting on August 11, as instructed by Rahul Gandhi, Free Press Journal reports. Leaders will plan a more aggressive stance against the state government and discuss cases filed against party workers and leader Jitu Patwari's family. Former chief ministers Digvijaya Singh will join virtually, but Kamal Nath may skip the meeting.

## Coverage

- ndtv.com <https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/madhya-pradesh-datia-bypoll-aftershocks-congress-elevates-ex-bjp-leader-uma-bhartis-cryptic-post-11877979>
- freepressjournal.in <https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/datia-win-boosts-congress-confidence-pac-to-meet-on-august-11-to-design-strategy>

Tags: BJP, Congress, Datia, Madhya Pradesh, Uma Bharti
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