MP bypolls: CM alleges 'Kamal Nath calling BJP MLAs' as Congress claims 'horse-trading'

As Congress summons all its MLAs to Bhopal fearing 'horse-trading', Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Chouhan on Saturday, alleged that ex-MP CM Kamal Nath was calling BJP MLAs. Reaffirming that no BJP MLA will join the Congress, he claimed that Kamal Nath 'brought dirt to the state's politics'. The State assembly's 28 seats went to polls on November 3, with a 70.27% voter turnout. Results will be declared on  November 10.

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Shivraj: 'Kamal Nath calling BJP MLAs'

Congress summons all 87 MLAs to Bhopal ahead of MP bypoll results, fearing horse-trading

Kamal Nath: 'BJP horse-trading again'

Fearing a repeat of mass-switching of MLAs from Congress to BJP, the grand old party has summoned all its 87 MLAs to Bhopal ahead of the Madhya Pradesh bypoll results, report sources on Friday. Sources add that the MLAs have been told to stay back in Bhopal on November 10, as ex-CM Kamal Nath will chair a legislative meeting on November 11. While Scindia led the charge in getting his loyalists re-elected, Congress has not been as vociferous in its by-poll campaigning as BJP.

On the same day, Nath also accused the BJP of allegedly 'indulging in horse-trading' again. Nath claimed that BJP is facing a massive defeat in the bypolls and hence is engaging in horse-trading, by approaching many independent MLAs. Previously, 22 pro-Jyotiraditya Scindia MLAs had quit from Congress, leading to the fall of the Kamal Nath government.

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Madhya Pradesh crisis & bypolls

The crisis in the Kamal Nath government started when Congress alleged BJP of poaching 4 MLAs - two of which returned to Kamal Nath's folds. Soon, 22 MLAs including 6 cabinet ministers - loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia - quit the party, reducing the Congress to a minority government with 92 MLAs. Following this, Scindia resigned from Congress and then joined the BJP. After Nath stepped down as CM and the Madhya Pradesh Speaker accepted all 22 MLAs' resignation, all of them promptly joined BJP. Several more Congress MLAs have joined BJP since then - vacating 28 seats in the Assembly.

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Scindia's rebellion paid off with 12 rebel MLAs being given cabinet portfolios in July's cabinet expansion. Apart from these 12, two rebel MLAs -Tulsi Silawat and Govind Singh Rajput had already been sworn in shortly after CM Shivraj Chouhan took oath, while Scindia himself has been elected to the Rajya Sabha. In the bypolls, all 14 ministers were in the poll fray. To remain in power with a majority on its own, BJP requires to win 9 seats in the bypolls. However, BJP faces no danger in MP even if it wins only three seats as they have the support of two BSP, one SP, and three Independent legislators.