Amid high drama, the Madhya Pradesh Assembly was on Thursday adjourned sine die without taking up a no-confidence motion against the BJP Government as Deputy leader of Opposition (Congress) revolted and thwarted discussion before joining the ruling party, the BJP.
Chaudhary Rakesh Singh Chaturvedi blocked the debate on the no-trust motion, second since November 2011, and later announced his decision to quit the party.
leader of Opposition Ajay Singh termed Chaturvedi's action as reminiscent of “Brutus”, Roman Republic politician Marcus Brutus, who was responsible for the assassination of the Republic’s dictator Julius Caesar, and accused him of entering into a ‘big deal’ with BJP. late on Thursday night Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kantilal Bhuria expelled Chaturvedi from party for six years.
Chaos prevailed in the House when Singh rose to speak on the motion and Chaturvedi pointed out the “flaws” in it. Chaturvedi said even now 721 pilgrims who had gone to Uttarakhand were missing and this had not been mentioned in the motion.
The issue involving former Finance Minister Raghavji, arrested for allegedly sodomising his domestic help, was also missing from the Motion, he said and referred to a tweet by Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh criticising Raghavji. Quickly capitalising on the division in Congress, Industries Minister Kailash Vijaywargia said the no-confidence motion had "come to nought" as even the Congress deputy leader expressed lack of faith in it.
Chaturvedi announced his decision to join BJP at a press conference which he jointly addressed with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and State BJP president Narendra Singh Tomar.
The MlA said he had spoken against the no-confidence motion in the Assembly as a matter of principle and maintained he could not compromise with his ideology.
Chaturvedi also said that he was hurt by Digvijay's tweet referring to former BJP minister Raghavji who has been arrested on sodomy charges.
He said he would work with total devotion for BJP in the state which is to hold Assembly elections by the end of this year. His father, Dilip Singh, had been elected to the State Assembly on a BJP ticket in 1980.
Welcoming Chaturvedi into BJP, Chouhan praised the leader for his
"courageous" decision.
Chaturvedi is known for his knowledge of Parliamentary rules and regulations and has always sided with the truth during discussions in the Assembly, the chief minister said.
Chaturvedi's departure is being seen as a setback for Congress, which has lost the last two Assembly elections (2003 and 2008) in the State.