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:
A day after Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned from the Congress, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said those who quit the party after raising a hue and cry, eventually return silently."
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.
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.
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."
Jyotiraditya 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, 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".
#WATCH Live from Delhi: Jyotiraditya Scindia joins Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in presence of BJP President JP Nadda https://t.co/xBIMuF4CKZ
- ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2020
Watch Live | #JyotiradityaMScindia reaches the BJP headquarters. He is set to join the BJP soon.#MadhyaPradeshPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/hnmZ45H7rN
- NDTV (@ndtv) March 11, 2020
Madhya 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.
Climbing onto a bus, NDTV's @harsha_ndtv gets the inside story on latest MP developments.#MPPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/cQ4kC5ggdk
- NDTV (@ndtv) March 11, 2020
Explainer | How the numbers stack up for BJP and Congress in the Madhya Pradesh state assembly. #MPPoliticalCrisis #madhyapradeshpolitics pic.twitter.com/dDLiqiKObr
- NDTV (@ndtv) March 11, 2020
Watch | "If they want to have power, there is no option but to be with the Congress": DK Shivakumar on Congress MLAs who have put in their resignation#MadhyaPradeshCrisis pic.twitter.com/R2G7PsxXUQ
- NDTV (@ndtv) March 11, 2020
#WATCH Jyotiraditya Scindia leaves from his residence in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/AtYsgYs3jq
- ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2020
Haryana: #MadhyaPradesh BJP MLAs are staying at ITC Grand Bharat in Gurugram. https://t.co/kmoH7nsdB2
- ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2020
#WATCH Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi refuses to answer question on Jyotiraditya Scindia quitting the party. pic.twitter.com/oPHriKdLK0
- ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2020
Watch | At 12.30 PM today, in the presence of JP Nadda, #JyotiradityaScindia is expected to join the BJP. @sanket
- NDTV (@ndtv) March 11, 2020
explains the #MadhyaPradesh political crisis. pic.twitter.com/Uc6IkG90Lk
Congress's Rahul Gandhi took a shot at PM Modi, a day after Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh plunged into crisis.
Hey @PMOIndia , while you were busy destabilising an elected Congress Govt, you may have missed noticing the 35% crash in global oil prices. Could you please pass on the benefit to Indians by slashing #petrol prices to under 60₹ per litre? Will help boost the stalled economy.
- Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 11, 2020
In a bid to guard their Madhya Pradesh MLAs, Congress has moved them to Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Madhya Pradesh: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh arrives at Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's residence in Bhopal. pic.twitter.com/rgBT6C81Mi
- ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2020
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
No question he was not at all sidelined. In fact, please ask any Congress Leader from MP particularly from Gwalior Chambal Division and you would come to know nothing moved in this area without his consent in last 16 months. Sad. But I wish him well under ModiShah Tutelage! https://t.co/ChEycCkrRc
- digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) March 11, 2020
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.