Kamal Nath alleges 'BJP horse-trading MLAs again' ahead of Madhya Pradesh bypoll results

Ahead of the results in 28 by-poll seats in Madhya Pradesh, ex-CM Kamal Nath on Friday, 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. The State assembly's 28 seats went to polls on November 3. Results will be declared on  November 10.

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Kamal Nath: 'BJP horse-trading again'

Jyotiraditya Scindia roars 'Yes, I am a dog, my master is public'; lashes at Kamal Nath

EC revokes Kamal Nath's 'star campaigner'

Last week,  the Election Commission of India (EC) revoked Nath's  'star campaigner' status after  repeated violation of Model Code of Conduct. Nath had referred to Scindia loyalist and minister Imarti Devi as an 'item' while addressing a rally in Dabra - which the EC ruled as a violation. Apart from this case, Kamal Nath also faces FIRs in Gwalior, Datia fro violating COVID-19 SOPs in a rally. But the Supreme Court stayed the EC's order, saying that the Commission had no power to determine who should be ‘star campaigner’ of a political party.

Kamal Nath repeats 'Yes, I said item'; refutes Scindia's claim of calling him a 'dog'

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. Three more Congress MLAs have joined BJP since then - vacating 27 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 upcoming bypolls, all 14 ministers shall be in the poll fray. To remain in power with a majority on its own, BJP requires to win 9 seats in the upcoming 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.