Published 17:06 IST, July 23rd 2020
Ex-BJP minister KL Agarwal & 400 supporters join MP Congress in Kamal Nath's presence
In a twist to the Madhya Pradesh political crisis, former BJP minister K L Agarwal, on Thursday has joined the Congress in the presence of former CM Kamal Nath
In a twist to the Madhya Pradesh political crisis, former BJP minister K L Agarwal, on Thursday has joined the Congress in the presence of former CM Kamal Nath. Moreover, 400 supporters of Agarwal have joined Congress. Incidentally, KL Agarwal is a leader from Bemora, Guna, and had reportedly stated that he would join the Congress if given a ticket in the upcoming by-polls. Speaking at the event, Nath said that with this boost, Congress will fight the upcoming by-elections for the youth in the state.
BJP leader & 400 supporters join Congress
24th Congress MLA quits in MP
Earlier on Friday, Congress MLA Sumitra Devi Kasdekar submitted her resignation as MLA to protem Speaker Rameshwar Sharma on Friday. After her resignation was accepted, Kasdekar promptly joined BJP in the presence of CM Shivraj Chouhan. Similarly, Bada Malhera MLA Pradyumn Singh Lodhi resigned from his post and immediately joined BJP. Lodhi has now been made chairman of Food and Civil Supplies Corporation. With these resignations, 27 seats are vacant in the Madhya Pradesh assembly.
Madhya Pradesh cabinet expansion
On July 2, due to the ill-health of Governor Lalji Tandon, acting MP Governor Anandiben Patel was sworn in. Moreover - 28 ministers were sworn in - 20 of the cabinet rank and 8 of the ministers of state rank. 12 of the 22 Congress rebels and Scindia loyalists managed to secure ministerial berths. 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.
Congress political crisis
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. The biggest jolt occurred when former Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia formally submitted his resignation to Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi 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. The Election Commission of India (ECI) will hold a meeting on Friday to decide on by-election dates which must be held by 10 September 2020.
Updated 17:06 IST, July 23rd 2020