Rebel MLAs drop plan to return to Bhopal; 6 ‘Scindia loyalist’ Ministers ousted
Political uncertainty continues in Madhya Pradesh as 19 rebel Congress MLAs, including 6 Ministers, on Friday cancelled at the last minute their plan to return to Bhopal from Bengaluru and Chief Minister Kamal Nath called on Governor Lalji Tandon requesting him to order a floor test in the Assembly.
Nath said he will welcome a floor test in the Assembly, whose Budget session is beginning on March 16, on a date fixed by the Speaker.
The MP CM made the statement after calling on the Governor, his first meeting since rebellion by a section of Congress MLAs three days ago which pushed his Government into crisis. He also submitted to the Governor a three-page letter in which he accused the BJP of being involved in horse-trading and holding the rebel Congress MLAs in captivity. “I have demanded that these MLAs be released immediately. Floor test can be held anytime,” Nath told reporters after meeting Tandon.
Meanwhile, the Governor on Friday removed six Ministers, supporters of Jyotiraditya Scindia, on the March 10 recommendation of Chief Minister Kamal Nath. Imarati Devi, Tulsi Silawat, Govind Singh Rajput, Mahendra Singh Sisodiya, Pradyumn Singh Tomar and Prabhuram Chaudhari were removed from the Cabinet with immediate effect on Friday, said a Public Relations Department official.
As per the previous plan, most of the rebel MLAs were scheduled to arrive in Bhopal by Friday evening. “The legislators had reached the Bengaluru airport. However, at the last minute they dropped the plan to return to Bhopal. They were told not to go to the Madhya Pradesh capital for security reasons as Congress workers have gathered outside the Bhopal airport holding sticks,” Pankaj Chaturvedi, a loyalist of Scindia, who recently quit Congress and joined the BJP, said.
The Opposition BJP has consistently denied the Congress charge of poaching MLAs to topple its Government. Nath pointed out that senior BJP leaders reached the speakers residence at about 5.50 pm on March 10 to handover 19 resignation letters allegedly of these Congress MLAs.
“Nobody is allowed access and/or any sort of communication with the 19 captive MLAs,” the CM said.
None of these MLAs were present to tender their resignation, he said.