Published 18:03 IST, March 4th 2020
Congress' troubles mount; 4 more MP MLAs heading to Karnataka; may tender resignations
In another massive political development in Madhya Pradesh politics, four more Congress MLAs from the state are headed to Karnataka, sources said on Wednesday.
In another massive political development in Madhya Pradesh politics, four more Congress MLAs from the state are headed to Karnataka, Republic TV sources said on Wednesday. Sources say that a total of 8 MLAs from the Congress will remain in Bengaluru. It is said that the MLAs will wait till tomorrow and then send their resignation to the high command. On the other hand, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has himself claimed that 10 Madhya Pradesh MLAs have reached Bengaluru.
Cong MLAs unhappy with Kamal Nath govt
Earlier in the day, sources said that 14 MLAs are unhappy with the Kamal Nath government and it was reported that 8-10 MLAs supporting the Congress government were forcibly held in a Gurugram hotel on Tuesday. On Tuesday night, Madhya Pradesh Ministers and Congress leaders Jitu Patwari and Jaivardhan Singh were seen coming out of the ITC Resort in Gurugram's Manesar along with suspended BSP MLA Ramabai.
The Congress alleged that the BJP was indulging in horse-trading of the MLAs and they want to topple the Kamal Nath government in the state. Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday refuted horse-trading allegations levelled by the Congress and termed the political crisis in Madhya Pradesh as "their internal matter".
'It is their party's internal matter'
"People of the state are worried. Congress MLAs themselves are also worried. It is their party's internal matter and they level allegations against us. Their work is to level allegations. There are several factions in the Congress due to which there is a fight among their leaders," Chouhan told reporters here when asked about horse-trading allegations against the BJP.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Jitu Patwari had alleged that former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the "mastermind" of the "conspiracy" to bring down Chief Minister Kamal Nath-led government and asserted that there is no threat to the government.
Earlier, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said that one of those lawmakers suspended BSP MLA Ramabai, has come back despite BJP leaders trying to stop her. He also said that Ramabai was brought to the national capital by a charter flight on Monday by a BJP leader. On Monday, Digvijaya Singh had alleged that BJP leaders Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Narottam Mishra were offering bribes of Rs 25-35 crore to Congress MLAs in order to bring down the Congress government in the state.
The Majority Maths
In the 230-member Assembly, the Congress has 114 MLAs, followed by the BJP with 107. The simple majority mark is 116. The Congress-led state government has the support of four Independent MLAs, two Bahujan Samaj Party legislators and one of the Samajwadi Party. Two seats are currently vacant following the demise of a Congress and a BJP legislator each.
(With agency inputs)
Updated 18:03 IST, March 4th 2020