Ideological differences are known to have split parties, communities, and even families. In Madhya Pradesh’s tribal-dominated Balaghat district, a political divide has driven a wedge between a power couple, one of whose political stars seems to be on the wane and the other whose political influence is rising. The Munjares of Balaghat are now involved in a public spat triggered by their decade-old photo with former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh.

A three-time former MLA and an ex-MP, 72-year-old Kankar Munjare’s peers describe him as a “headstrong leader” who likes to stick to his opinions and not exactly a team player, a sort of a lone wolf. He won the Assembly polls thrice from Paraswada — in 1985 for the Janata Party ticket, in 1993 for the Karantikari Samajwadi Manch, and for the Janata Party again in 1998 — and was also elected the Balaghat MP in 1989 as an Independent.

Munjare was in the Congress but moved to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) before the Lok Sabha polls this year after the party did not give him a ticket. He contested from Balaghat on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) but lost. But his wife and Balaghat MLA Anubha Munjare’s decision to remain in the Congress and campaign for his rival did not go down well with Munjare and he moved out of their home before the elections.

Last Wednesday, on Anubha’s birthday, a poster became the latest thorn between the couple. The poster carried a decade-old image of Anubha, Munjare, and their son with Digvijaya Singh. Munjare has alleged this was done to score political points.

“Without my permission, Anubha put my pictures on the poster. This is irresponsible. She is insulting me. She should put up posters of her leaders. I have nothing to do with her birthday or her politics,” said the former MP.

Asked what was so offensive about the poster, Munjare said, “I am in a different party and she is in another. How is my picture being used? My name should not be in any of her programmes. I do not have any link with her party. This is objectionable. I am not filing an FIR. I am leaving her this time but she should not repeat such an act … Politics is based on our principles. Being family doesn’t mean that she can use my name to gain votes and increase her voter base. Why are her leaders not stopping her (from using his photos)?”

While Anubha, 58, refused to comment on her husband’s allegations, a leader close to her said, “Anubha ji respects her husband and thinks of him as her guru. There were multiple posters in the city and this one poster that managed to find its way on a pole was removed.”

A Congress leader said, “The couple have been fighting for a long time and have been separated since the Lok Sabha elections. This time Kankar Munjare ji got angry over the poster also because of Digvijaya Singh’s image. He has some bad blood with the former CM and got angry.”

In April, when differences with her husband first emerged in public, Anubha said, “We have been married for 33 years and have lived happily along with our son. Some families live together despite members being part of different political ideologies. Look at the Scindias of Gwalior.”

Anubha is not a political novice, having served as a corporator in the Balaghat municipal council and having been elected as the civic body’s president in 1999. She retained her seat in 2002 and 2007. Her rise in the Congress was catapulted by her win over BJP heavyweight Gaurishankar Bisen in last year’s Assembly elections. She had lost to Bisen in 2013 and 2018, contesting on a Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket both times.

A former Balaghat MP said, “He is a leader of the past and she is the future. He could not stomach that and asked her to choose him over her party. As she refused to leave her home, he decided to move out,” he said.