Chief Minister Kamal Nath indicated that he is fighting back with plans for a cabinet rejig.
The 15-month-old Madhya Pradesh government plunged into crisis on Monday with the shock rebellion of Congress general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia and his faction. Sources say 17 Congress MLAs — including six ministers — supporting Mr Scindia were flown by a chartered plane to Bengaluru in BJP-ruled Karnataka.
Chief Minister Kamal Nath indicated that he is fighting back with plans for a cabinet rejig. After a cabinet meet late on Monday, 20 ministers resigned.
The Congress is making all attempts to negotiate a compromise with Mr Scindia, once close to the Gandhis but a solution seems increasingly unlikely. Senior Congress leaders say the speed and determination with which Mr Scindia acted signals that this may be more than just muscle-flexing, that he is going for broke. Reports suggest that the former MP is likely to join the BJP.
Senior leaders of Madhya Pradesh BJP — including former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and its MP from Morena, Narendra Singh Tomar — meanwhile attended a meeting at Union minister Amit Shah's home. The BJP has called its MLAs to Bhopal for a show of strength today evening. Sources said Shivraj Singh Chouhan could be chosen the leader of the legislative party in the meeting.
Here are the Live Updates on the big developments in Madhya Pradesh government crisis:
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former #MadhyaPradesh CM: This is Congress' internal matter and I would not like to comment on it. We had said on the first day that we are not interested in bringing down the government. pic.twitter.com/zZUjU2Qc2V
– ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2020
Mar 10, 2020 08:03 (IST)How the numbers stack up in Madhya Pradesh
Currently, there are 228 MLAs in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly (election in seats of two sitting MLAs has not taken place yet).
A party needs to have 115 seats to form government in the state.The Congress is one short of the majority mark (currently it has 114 seats) but it is supported by one Samajwadi Party MLA and two legislators of the Bahujan Samaj Party.
But if the 17 MLAs resign, the majority mark in the assembly will come down to 106, paving way for the BJP (which has 107 MLAs) to stake claim of the government. Mar 10, 2020 07:53 (IST) BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan is on his way to Bhopal.Mar 10, 2020 07:45 (IST)Digvijaya Singh on why Jyotiraditya Scindia is unreachable
The Congress is unable to reach senior party Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is at the centre of political trouble brewing in Madhya Pradesh for the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government, because he has "swine flu", MP Digvijaya Singh told reporters last night. "We tried to contact Scindia Ji (Jyotiraditya Scindia) but it is being said that he is suffering from swine flu, so haven't been able to speak to him," Mr Singh said.
"Whoever will try to disrespect the voter's mandate in Madhya Pradesh, will get a befitting reply from the people in the state… For me, all is well," the 73-year-old former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister added on the current politcial situation in the state.
"Jo sahi Congressi hai… wo Congress me rahega (Whoever is a righteous party member, will continue to stick around)," he addedMar 10, 2020 07:43 (IST) Senior leaders of Madhya Pradesh BJP — including former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and its MP from Morena, Narendra Singh Tomar — meanwhile attended a meeting at Union minister Amit Shah's home. The BJP has called its MLAs to Bhopal for a show of strength today evening. Sources said Shivraj Singh Chouhan could be chosen the leader of the legislative party in the meeting.Mar 10, 2020 07:43 (IST) The Congress is making all attempts to negotiate a compromise with Mr Scindia, once close to the Gandhis but a solution seems increasingly unlikely. Senior Congress leaders say the speed and determination with which Mr Scindia acted signals that this may be more than just muscle-flexing, that he is going for broke. Reports suggest that the former MP is likely to join the BJP.Mar 10, 2020 07:43 (IST) Chief Minister Kamal Nath indicated that he is fighting back with plans for a cabinet rejig. After a cabinet meet late on Monday, 20 ministers resigned.Mar 10, 2020 07:43 (IST) The 15-month-old Madhya Pradesh government plunged into crisis on Monday with the shock rebellion of Congress general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia and his faction. Sources say 17 Congress MLAs — including six ministers — supporting Mr Scindia were flown by a chartered plane to Bengaluru in BJP-ruled Karnataka.
