Jyotiraditya Scindia had been a vocal critic of Congress government. (File)
Former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the BJP today, a day after ending his nearly two-decade long association with the Congress.
"I hope i will get an opportunity to serve the nation... I am thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah," the 49-year-old leader said at BJP headquarters in Delhi.
The Kamal Nath government has plunged into crisis after Jyotiraditya Scindia's exit from the party on Tuesday was followed by resignation of 21 MLAs. The surprise developments on Holi morning came soon after Jyotiraditya Scindia's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Kamal Nath goverment - faced with a crisis - scrambled to guard flock on Tuesday and so did the BJP. This afternoon, several Congress MLAs were sent to Jaipur for safe-keeping.
The Madhya Pradesh government has a wafer-thin majority of just four above the majority mark of 116. 21 Congress MLAs also quit along with Mr Scindia and if the resignations are accepted, the party will lose power.
Here are the Live Updates on developments in Madhya Pradesh government crisis:
Will Stay With Jyotiraditya Scindia Even If I Had To Jump In A Well: Imarti Devi
Former Madhya Pradesh Minister Imarti Devi said that all 22 MLAs are in Bengaluru out of their own choice.
"All 22 MLAs are here (in Bengaluru) on their own will. We are happy Scindiaji has taken this decision. I will always stay with him even if I had to jump in a well. Kamal Nathji never heard us," she said.
Another leader dismissed talks of being in touch with anyone and said that they are happy with the decision of Mr Scindia, who joined the BJP earlier today. He had resigned from the Congress on Tuesday.
Kamal Nath betrayed Jyotiraditya Scindia, say party MLAs
Jyotiraditya Scindia has not betrayed the Congress, but he has been betrayed by the Congress and Kamal Nath, said on Wednesday Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs who are camping here after tendering the resignations.
"It is not Jyotraditya Scindia who has betrayed. Instead, he has been betrayed by the Congress and Kamal Nath. Despite the fact that it was his hard work that enabled Congress to form the government in MP after 15 years, yet he was being sidelined. His people were sidelined," Mahendra Singh Sisodia was heard saying in a video.
Taking a veiled jibe at Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Mr Sisodia said: "On one hand, you claim that treasury is empty and on the other, works worth Rs 12,000 crore is done in Chhindwara constituency. Are the rest of MLAs and ministers just killing time?"
He also warned other Congress MLAs that the party would be decimated in the state in the future.
"Did not the Congress trick people in MP? What happened to the farm loan waiver announced? When we go to our region, people ask us what happened to loan-waiver. What happened to curb corruption, Vyapam? Whichever party Scindia joins, we will go with him," he said.
No one can destroy Congress, says DK Shivakumar amid political uncertainty in Madhya Pradesh
Amid the prevailing political uncertainty in Madhya Pradesh with Jyotiraditya Scindia's exit, Congress leader DK Shivakumar on Wednesday asserted that "leaders may come and go but no one can destroy Congress."
"No one can destroy Congress. Leaders may come, leaders may go, that doesn''t make any difference," said Mr Shivakumar while speaking to ANI on the current political scenario for Congress in Madhya Pradesh.
Speaking about the Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs, who are lodged in Bengaluru, he said: "All the Madhya Pradesh MLAs who are here do not want to lose their membership. I am sure they will understand, go back and save the government."
BJP in serious business of "poaching, abducting" MLAs and stealing governments: CongressThe Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP of being in the "business of poaching and abducting MLAs, and stealing governments", claiming that the party has fine-tuned the art.
Terming the recent developments in Madhya Pradesh an insult to democracy, senior Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said the BJP attempts to destabilise non-BJP governments in states.
"The BJP has fine-tuned the art of poaching and abducting MLAs and stealing governments," he said.
Mr Sharma questioned why the BJP was intolerant towards non-BJP governments in the states which have come to power with public mandate.
"The BJP is a ruling party and is expected to follow certain norms and procedures. It is now seriously in business of poaching MLAs and stealing governments," he told reporters at a press conference.
Mr Sharma said the Congress condemned the BJP for creating a crisis in Madhya Pradesh by poaching MLAs and taking them to Bengaluru.
"It is against political morality, mandate of people and against principles and precedents of parliamentary democracy," he said.
Rich Praise For PM Modi From Jyotiraditya Scindia As He Joins BJPJyotiraditya Scindia, on joining the BJP this afternoon, said the Congress, his party of 18 years, was "no longer the party it used to be". The country's future is "totally secure" in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hands, said the four-time MP and former minister."
Jyotiraditya Scindia Joins BJP, Says Congress No Longer The Party It WasJyotiraditya Scindia, once among Rahul Gandhi's closest aides, joined the BJP today, ending his 18-year association with the Congress, the party of his father. He will be one of the two BJP Rajya Sabha candidates from Madhya Pradesh. His exit along with 21 Madhya Pradesh MLAs endangers the Congress in a major state where it had come to power just 15 months ago. On Tuesday, as Holi was celebrated across the country, Jyotiraditya Scindia drove his SUV to Home Minister Amit Shah's home, from where the two together went to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home. Immediately after the meeting, he tweeted his resignation letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, talking about a "fresh start".
"I consider myself lucky that I have got a platform to serve the nation. I thank PM Modi. Not once but twice, he has got a massive mandate from the public. I believe nation's future is secure in his hands," says Jyotiraditya Scindia as he joins the BJP in Delhi
Jyotiraditya Scindia, on joining BJP, says "Congress no longer what it used to be, living in denial."
In my life, two dates were very important... First was when I lost my father (Madhav Rao Scindia) - September 30, 2001... it was a life-changing moment for me. And then it was March 10, 2020 -- it was his 75th birth anniversary. "My respected father and in the last 18-19 years, whatever time I got we have done all that we could (for Congress)," says Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Jyotiraditya Scindia says, "I am sharing the stage with respected JP Nadda ji, Dharmendra Pradhan ji BD Sharma. Arun Panda, Jay Panda". "I want to express gratitude to respected Nadda ji... our PM Narendra Modi... our home minister Amit Shah... that they invited me to their family."
Rajmata worked day in and day out for the vision of both Jan Sangh, BJP. Today, her grandson joins us. We welcome him wholeheartedly. He is just like a family member to us. I assure him that he will get to express himself, become a part of the party's core ideology, this is a very democratic party where every individual has his say, says JP Nadda.
"It's an occasion of immense happiness for us. Today we remember Rajmata, who was instrumental in laying the foundation for our party," says JP Nadda
Jyotiraditya Scindia joins BJP
Jyotiraditya Scindia joins Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in presence of BJP President JP Nadda.
Will Go By Rules: Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker On Resignation Of 21 MLAsMadhya Pradesh Speaker NP Prajapati said he will go by the rules and meet the 21 rebel Congress MLAs, before he takes a call on their resignation. Read
here.
NDTV Speaks To Congress MLA Being Taken To Jaipur
Here's How Numbers Stack Up For Madhya Pradesh
Jyotiradita Scindia was supposed to join the BJP at around 12:30 pm, which was delayed because of Rahu Kaal.
No Option But to Be With Congress: DK Shivakumar On Rebel MLAs
Jyotiraditya Scindia Leaves Residence, Set To Join BJP
Rahul Gandhi Refuses To Answer Question On Jyotiraditya Scindia
About 100 Congress MLAs Sent To Jaipur For Safekeeping: Sources
19 Congress Rebels Were "Misled", Says Party "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": Senior Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma on his meeting with 19 party MLAs (rebels) told news agency ANI.
A day after former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia's exit from the Congress plunged Madhya Pradesh government into crisis, ten MLAs and two ministers - loyal to the 49-year-old four-time parliamentarian - who are in Bengaluru have expressed doubt about joining the BJP, sources have told NDTV. Read
here.
The Madhya Pradesh crisis took a dramatic turn late Tuesday evening after reports of differences within the state wing of the BJP, even as the party stands ready to topple the 15-month-old Congress government. Read
here
.
Madhya Pradesh Government Crisis: Rahul Gandhi Attacks PM
Congress's Rahul Gandhi took a shot at PM Modi, a day after Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh plunged into crisis.
Congress Moves MLAs To Jaipur, RajasthanIn a bid to guard their Madhya Pradesh MLAs, Congress has moved them to Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Digvijaya Singh At Kamal Nath's Residence In Bhopal
Jyotiraditya Scindia Nameplate Removed From Congress Office In Bhopal
Here's A Break-Up Of Numbers As Madhya Pradesh Government Plunges Into Crisis
Madhya Pradesh Government Crisis: Congress MLAs At Kamal Nath's HomeAmid the prevailing political uncertainty in Madhya Pradesh, several Congress MLAs reached chief minister Kamal Nath''s residence for a meeting on Wednesday. Most of these leaders expressed confidence in the stability of Congress government in the state.
"Congress and Kamal Nath''s government will stay. You will see on 16th, numbers (of MLAs) will stay the same. Him (Jyotiraditya Scindia) leaving does not affect anything, days of Rajas-Maharajas are long gone," Arjun Singh told reporters here.
Jyotiradita Scindia Likely To Join BJP This Afternoon: Key Points Jyotiraditya could join BJP today post 12.30pm.
Joining likely to take place at the party HQ
Joining likely in the presence of BJP President & MP Gen Secy Incharge
Jyotiraditya then expected to hold a massive show of strength in Madhya Pradesh.
Any move towards govt formation will take a few days.
BJP closely monitoring news of Jyotiraditya loyalist MLAs expressing their reservation in joining BJP
BJP is preparing itself for a political fight from Kamal Nath in the state. Post joining, action likely to shift to Madhya Pradesh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Home Minister Amit Shah this morning and discussed the Madhya Pradesh situation after Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the Congress, sources told NDTV.
In Bengaluru, where the first group of 17 Congress MLAs were flown in a chartered plane on Monday, the party's troubleshooter in Karnataka, DK Shivakumar, claimed he was in touch with the rebel MLAs and they would come back to the party. "This may not even be a long drawn affair... they may return soon," Mr Shivakumar told NDTV.
The Madhya Pradesh government has a wafer-thin majority of just four above the majority mark of 116. If the resignations are accepted, the Congress will lose power.
Madhya Pradesh Government Crisis: Madhya Pradesh Congress Unit Hits Out At Jyotiraditya ScindiaA day after Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the Congress claiming that he had been sidelined in the party, the Madhya Pradesh Congress on Wednesday hit out at him by highlighting the key positions, including a berth in the Union council of ministers, he held during his 18 years of association with the Congress.
The state Congress unit took to Twitter and asked Scindia as to why he still chose to go "under the shelter of Modi-Shah (Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah) duo?"
"In Scindia's 18 year political career, Congress made him Member of Parliament for 17 years, Union minister twice, chief whip, national general secretary, in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, Congress Working Committee member, election campaign head, 50-plus tickets and 9 ministers were given. Still under the shelter of Modi-Shah?" the MP Congress tweeted in Hindi along with an image referring that Scindia had "broken the trust".
Jyotiraditya Scindia may join the BJP today, a day after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, sources told NDTV.
Congress MLas likely to be shifted to Jaipur amid tussle of power.
Madhya Pradesh Government Crisis: Digvijaya Singh Says Jyotiraditya Scindia Was "Not Sidelined' Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has denied that a big factor in longtime party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia's move to join the rival BJP was his perceived diminished say in party matters. Read
here Madhya Pradesh Government Crisis: "Nothing To Worry About," Says Kamal Nath Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Tuesday said he was confident that his government will not collapse following the crisis triggered by the big revolt led by Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and the resignation of at least 21 MLAs loyal to him. Read
here.