BHOPAL: Resignation of 22 rebel MLAs and senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia joining the BJP has pushed the Kamal Nath-led government to the brink of collapse.
On the day when revellers across the country indulged in bouts of colours to mark the festival of colours Holi, the 15-month-old Congress government in Madhya Pradesh plunged into deep crisis on Tuesday in the wake of former Guna MP Scindia quitting the grand old party and his loyalist MLAs resigning from Vidhan Sabha membership.
Scindia loyalist 19 MLAs, including the six ministers - holed up in Bengaluru -followed their leader by mailing their resignations from Vidhan Sabha to the Speaker and State’s Governor.
Not only the 20 Scindia loyalist MLAs, but at least two more Congress MLAs (former minister Bisahul Lal Singh and Aidal Singh Kansana, both Digvijaya Singh loyalists) too reportedly mailed their resignations to Speaker and Governor, taking the total number of rebel Congress MLAs to 22 in the present 228 member house – consequently bringing the Congress government in minority.
Six ministers among 22 MLAs resigns
The 22 Congress MLAs who sent their resignation on Tuesday, included cabinet minister - Tulsi Silawat, Govind Singh Rajput, Dr Prabhuram Choudhry, Imarti Devi, Pradyumna Singh Tomar and Mahendra Singh Sisodia and legislators Manoj Chaudhary, Hardeep Singh Dang, Rajyavardhan Singh, Brajendra Singh Yadav, Jaspal Jajji, Suresh Dhakad, Jaswant Jatav, Raksha Santram Sironia, Munnalal Goyal, Ranveer Singh Jatav, OPS Bhadoria, Kamlesh Jatav, Giriraj Dandotiya, Raghuraj Kansana, Aidalsingh Kansana and Bisahulal Singh
Former minister Bisahu Lal Singh, one of the 22 Congress legislators, who reportedly resigned from Vidhan Sabha, joined the BJP in presence of ex-CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and claimed that most Congress MLAs will quit before the budget session of Vidhan Sabha starts on March 16.
Ex-home minister brought 19 resignation letters from Bengaluru
Out of the 22 reported resignations that were mailed by the Congress MLAs to the Speaker and Governor on Tuesday, original copies of 19 hand written resignations of the MLAs holed up in Bengaluru were brought by BJP leader Bhupendra Singh from Bengaluru to Bhopal in the afternoon. Later, a BJP delegation met the Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati at his house in Bhopal and submitted original copies of the 19 resignations.
According to informed political sources, the open rebellion in the Congress ranks could rise further particularly as BJP leaders like ex-home minister Bhupendra Singh are claiming that around 30-35 Congress MLAs could quit as legislators by Wednesday.
“I’ have received the copies of the resignation and will decide about them in accordance with existing law,” the Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati said.
CM writes to Guv, recommends sacking of ministers
In a related development, the CM Kamal Nath wrote to Governor Lalji Tandon (presently on leave in Lucknow) recommending that the six Scindia loyalist ministers who didn’t turn up at Monday late night emergency Cabinet meeting, be sacked as ministers.
The six ministers, including Pradumn Singh Tomar, Imarti Devi, Mahendra Singh Sisodiya, Govind Singh Rajput, Prabhuram Chowdhary and Tulsi Silawat had skipped the Monday late night emergency cabinet meeting, where the other 22 ministers had handed over their resignations to CM Kamal Nath to enable him reconstitute the new cabinet.
