Amidst reports that the BJP was trying to woo Congress legislators, Chief Minister Kamal Nath had here on Tuesday had a lunch with all MLAs of the government including the independents in a bid to dispel rumours of threats to his government in the wake of exit poll results that indicate a whitewash in favour of BJP nationally including Madhya Pradesh.
The lunch was hosted at the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), where the Chief Minister and the MLAs including the four independents – Surendra Singh Thakur from Burhanpur, Kedar Davar from Bhagwanpura, Pradip Jaiswal from Wara Seoni and Vikram Singh Rana from Susner.
However, it was Nath himself who bolstered horse trading attempts from the BJP. “At least ten MLAs have told me that they were approached by the BJP with offers of money and posts,” Nath told the media at PCC.
He however also claimed that all MLAs were in touch with each other and no one was switching over.
Meanwhile with an imminent threat to Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh, political observers feel that a cabinet expansion is inevitable.
The Congress government which was expected to expand cabinet in the month of June could actually pre-pone it in order to placate sulking allies.
Mayawaty’s BSP was in particular was not impressed with denial of ministerial berths to its two MLAs. One of them, Rambai Singh had openly expressed resentment over denial of ministerial berth time and again.
Chief Minister Kamal Nath however had only offered ministerial berth to Pradip Jaiswal who had defeated Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s brother in law Sanjay Singh Masani at Wara Seoni. Masani had switched over to Congress ahead of assembly polls in dramatic manner.
The Congress is relying on these four independents backing the government as all of them were in the party before raising rebellion and winning as independents in 2018 assembly polls.
Chief Minister Kamal Nath has no real issues as there are 28 ministers in his government and he can accommodate six more MLAs in the government as ministers. Incidentally including four independents, two BSP and one SP MLA, the Congress needs to oblige half a dozen MLAs.
“I am sure, I would be assigned a ministerial berth as and when the cabinet gets expanded,” Surendra Singh Thakur told.
Though he claimed he has not been contacted by the CM on this as of now. To add, a sulking Thakur had fielded wife Jaishree in the lok sabha polls against Congress candidate Arun Yadav from Khandwa and only withdrew her nomination after an intervention from Nath. “We are Congress family and had offered unconditional support to this government but the people of our region expect development and would want me to be given a ministerial berth,” Kedar Davar said.
On the occasion, Nath had summoned party lok sabha candidates to PCC and offered them the tips as how to be vigilant till the counting was over on May 23.