Bhopal, Jan 22 (IANS): Amid the ongoing war of words between the BJP and Congress in Madhya Pradesh over 'groupism is a cancer' remark, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh's son Jaivardhan Singh said that "factionalism has always been there in politics".

The Congress legislator from Raghogarh Assembly constituency said the politicians compete to achieve the post in every state to do better for the party. Therefore, he said, factionalism is inherent at the grassroots level in every political party across the world.

"Politicians have to compete with certain people to get higher posts from the very beginning of their career. Therefore, groupism or factionalism is an undeniable fact in politics and no political party in the world has remained untouched from it," Jaivardhan Singh said during an interaction with the press in Shivpuri district on Wednesday.

He also defended Congress' state unit chief Jitu Patwari's groupism is cancer remarks, saying the PCC chief has raised his concern straightaway with and among the party cadres.

"Jitu Patwari is our chief... he was holding a conversation with party cadres during a meeting. He was urging party workers not to involve in groupism and work for the interests of the party. A political party can't run without honest workers, this what he was saying," Singh added.

He also hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying its workers are frustrated while questioning the choice of leaders for its leadership role in certain areas.

Earlier on Wednesday, Patwari defended his leadership style, saying his priority as Madhya Pradesh Congress chief has been to unite party workers against BJP's corruption. He accused the BJP’s media cell of spreading propaganda.

“As the head of MP Congress, I must convey clear messages to the party cadre, which involves holding open conversations. The BJP media cell manipulated my statement into a propaganda. What surprised me even more was CM Mohan Yadav’s statement on the matter," Patwari said.

CM Mohan Yadav had earlier responded to Patwari's "groupism is a cancer" remark, calling it a "new trend" in politics and questioning Congress' position on internal divisions.

"The Congress must clarify who the 'cancers' in their party are. With leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge, those running Congress should make their stance clear,” Yadav said.

In a sharp retort, Patwari diverted attention to issues of corruption under the BJP rule, including alleged scandals involving ex-RTO constable Saurabh Sharma.

“Saurabh Sharma is the real cancer for Madhya Pradesh. Will Mohan Yadav dare to treat this cancer? Can he talk about the diary recovered from Sharma’s home during a raid? Of course not. Instead, he indulges in BJP propaganda,” Patwari countered.

His “cancer” remark gained attention after a video surfaced on social media in which he urged party members to end factionalism. “If we don’t eradicate this cancer of factionalism, it will destroy us,” he was heard saying.