The political drama in Madhya Pradesh appears to be having new twists and turns by the minute. While a total of 22 MLAs, considered to be loyalists of Jyotiraditya Scindia, submitted their resignations to the governor and Assembly speaker on Tuesday, news reports suggest the BJP may not have an easy time toppling the Kamal Nath government and coming to power.
Ever since a group of eight MLAs considered loyal to Scindia went to Bengaluru last week, there had been speculation the Gwalior royal could either join the BJP or launch his own regional outfit.
NDTV reported on Wednesday that as many as 12 of the rebel MLAs, including two ministers, had expressed doubts about joining the BJP. Scindia is expected to formally join the BJP on Wednesday.
We came for maharaj (referring to Jyotiraditya Scindia)... not to join the BJP," these MLAs were quoted as saying by NDTV.
Digvijaya Singh, a former two-time chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, had told The Indian Express in an interview that "surprises" could be expected at a floor test. On Wednesday afternoon, Digvijaya Singh told PTI 13 out of 22 rebel MLAs in Madhya Pradesh have assured "they are not leaving Congress". Digvijaya added the Congress was confident of winning a floor test and was "not keeping quite, we are not sleeping".
Scindia was offered the post of Madhya Pradesh deputy chief minister but wanted his nominee, Digvijaya Singh told mediapersons in Delhi. However, Kamal Nath refused to accept a "chela", he said. Scindia, he said, could have been a Congress nominee to the Rajya Sabha but "only Modi-Shah" can give a Cabinet post to the "over-ambitious" leader.
Sajjan Singh Verma, a Congress leader in Madhya Pradesh, had met the rebel MLAs at a resort outside Bengaluru on Wednesday. Verma was quoted by ANI as saying, "Nobody is ready to go with Scindia ji. They said they were misled and taken to Bengaluru, most of them said they are not ready to join BJP."
D.K. Shivakumar,senior Congress leader in Karnataka, told NDTV on Tuesday that he was in touch with the rebel MLAs and claimed "most of them" will return to the Congress. "I won't reveal our strategy but this isn't over. This may not even be a long drawn affair... they may return soon," Shivakumar had told NDTV.
Ironically, any 'rethink' by the Congress MLAs, whose resignations have yet to be accepted, would have parallels to NCP leader Ajit Pawar's attempt to form a government in Maharashtra with the BJP in late November. Pawar submitted his resignation in three days after the MLAs who supported him pledged allegiance to the NCP.
