Jyotiraditya Scindia held a massive roadshow in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday.
BJP's Jyotriraditya Scindia, whose high-profile crossover to the Congress, has plunged the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh into crisis will file nomination for the Rajya Sabha seat today. The BJP nominated the 49-year-old former union minister for one of the two seats in Rajya Sabha in Madhya Pradesh soon after he joined the party on Wednesday.
Mr Scindia exit from the Congress on Tuesday, also his father Madhav Rao Scindia's 75th birth anniversary, was followed by the resignation of 22 Congress MLAs.
Nineteen MLAs - loyal to Mr Scindia - were moved to Bengaluru in BJP ruled Karnataka on Monday ahead of the high-profile crossover. Some of them reportedly later expressed reluctance in joining the BJP.
The Congress has filed petitions before Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati seeking disqualification of the six ministers of the Kamal Nath Cabinet as MLAs who, along with 16 MLAs.
Speaker NP Prajapati said the MLAs will have to submit their resignation letters in person. "As per the law, those resigning will have to first appear before the Speaker personally, after which only I will look into the available evidences/facts before deciding as per merits of the case," he told NDTV.
The Congress has 120 MLAs in Madhya Pradesh, four more than the majority mark of 116 in the 230-member assembly. If the resignations of 22 MLAs are accepted, the majority mark will fall to 104. This will make it easier for the BJP - with 107 MLAs - to stake claim to power.
Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon has returned to Bhopal on Thursday night from his Holi vacation.
Here are the Live Updates on developments in Madhya Pradesh government crisis:
Madhya Pradesh Governor Removes Six "Scindia Loyalist" MinistersMadhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon on Friday removed six ministers, supporters of Jyotiraditya Scindia, on the recommendation of Chief Minister Kamal Nath.
Amid the ongoing political crisis triggered by Mr Scindia's exit from the Congress and rebellion of 22 MLAs who support him, Mr Nath had, on March 10, written to Lalji Tandon seeking immediate removal of the six ministers.
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.
Earlier in the day, Kamal Nath met the governor at 11 am and submitted a letter expressing his government's willingness to face a floor test in the Assembly, news agency PTI reported.
MP Congress MLA's Father Seeks Police Help To Meet Him In Bengaluru ResortA day after a Minister in the crisis-stricken Kamal Nath government was allegedly stopped by police from entering a resort near Bengaluru where 19 of the 22 rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh were believed to be holed up, Karnataka Congress' President-designate D K Shivakumar along with him approached the ADGP, seeking help.
Mr Shivakumar, accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Ministers Jitu Patwari and Balaram Choudhary, along with Narayan Choudhary, who is father of one of the MLAs Manoj Choudhary, met ADGP Amar Kumar Pandey at the DGP office in Bengaluru.
Narayan Choudhary requested police to give him an opportunity to meet his son and submitted a memorandum in this regard.
Alleging that his son Manoj was forcibly brought here by "some people" and kept in the resort, Narayan Choudhary said, "Though my son wanted to meet us, he was not allowed by some local people said to be BJP members threatened us and took us to the local police station without any reason."
"As all of us have come from Madhya Pradesh to see my son, who is in the custody of the local people, I request you kindly provide necessary protection to us and allow us to meet my son without any further delay," he added, news agency PTI reported.
Madhya Pradesh Rebel MLAs Abandon Plans To Fly Back, Demand SecurityMadhya Pradesh Congress legislators, who have resigned from the assembly pushing the Kamal Nath government to the brink, have demanded special security ahead of their meeting with the speaker.
At least 17 of the 22 rebel MLAs, who were camping in Bengaluru following revolt led by former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, are expected to land in Bhopal this evening.
Large gatherings were banned around the airport as Congress and BJP workers raised slogans against and in support of Mr Scindia respectively. A large number of policemen, including senior officers and anti-riot forces, are guarding the airport. Read
here.
Most Of 19 MP Congress MLAs To Reach Bhopal From BengaluruMost of the 19 rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh, including six ministers, who have been camping in Bengaluru, are expected to reach Bhopal on Friday evening, party sources said.
After former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the Congress, 22 party MLAs, including six ministers - most of them said to be his supporters - resigned from the assembly earlier this week, pushing the Kamal Nath government in major crisis.
Of the 22 rebel MLAs, 19 lawmakers, including half a dozen ministers, had e-mailed their resignation letters to Governor Lalji Tandon.
"Most of the 19 MLAs have left Bengaluru where they were staying. They will travel by air and are expected to reach here," a Scindia loyalist told PTI.
In view of their expected arrival, security at the Bhopal airport has been beefed up.
The ruling Congress has alleged that 19 of the rebel Congress MLAs, including ministers, have been held "captive" by the BJP in a resort in Bengaluru, a charge denied by the opposition party, news agency PTI reported.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said there is no "Jyotiraditya Scindia-like" figure in ranks of ruling allies in the state and asked the BJP to keep a watch on its MLAs who were not present on the assembly.
In his reply to budget demands, Mr Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, also commented on BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar's startling revelation in the house on Thursday it was his party that ditched the one-time ally Shiv Sena last year and that it was a mistake.
"There is no pardon for the mistake," MR Pawar said, looking in the direction of Chief Minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray leading to laughter in the house.
Political System Infected With Coronavirus, Says Kamal Nath
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Kamal Nath Attacks BJP In His Letter To Governor
Kamal Nath meets governor, discusses floor test after 22 MLAs quit.
The BJP has also sought for a meeting with the Madhya Pradesh governor.
Chief Minister Kamal Nath to meet Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon this morning.