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8 missing MLAs in Madhya Pradesh put Kamal Nath govt in a fix; 4 are back, claims Cong
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh told the media that the MLAs who he knew had been held hostage are Congress MLAs Bisahu Lal Singh and Hardeep Singh Dung, BSP MLA Ram Bai and independent MLA Surendra Singh Shera.
Amid high political drama, the Congress has accused BJP leaders of holding captive as many as eight MLAs, including Congress and independent lawmakers, at some undisclosed location either in Gurugram or some other place since Tuesday night. However, the four out of the eight MLAs have returned, claimed the Congress.
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh told the media that the MLAs who he knew had been held hostage are Congress MLAs Bisahu Lal Singh and Hardeep Singh Dung, BSP MLA Ram Bai and independent MLA Surendra Singh Shera.
As per another Congress leader, the other BSP MLA Sanjeev Kushwah, a Congress MLA Aindal Singh Kansana and the lone SP MLA Rajesh Shukla were with BJP leaders at some undisclosed location.
Watch | Madhya Pradesh Congress accuses BJP of ‘confining’ 8 MLAs at Gurugram hotel
The higher education minister in Kamal Nath cabinet Jeetu Patwari also accused the BJP leaders of forcibly taking eight MLAs.
Talking to the news agency PTI, he said, “Senior BJP leaders including former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former ministers Narottam Mishra, Bhupendra Singh and Rampal Singh among others have forcibly taken eight MLAs to a hotel in Haryana as part of a conspiracy.”
Patwari alleged that the MLAs were “forcibly confined by the BJP leaders”.
However, state Congress media in charge Shobha Oza claimed that four of the eight MLAs have come back.
Meanwhile, one of whistleblowers of Vyapam scam, Dr Anand Rai, released a video of former minister Narottam Mishra allegedly talking to him on arranging MLAs to topple the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh.
As per the video, Mishra claimed that he would topple the Congress government within a day if the MLAs were arranged. “They will have to resign. They will be made ministers and then they will contest the elections”, said Narottam Mishra purportedly in the video.
However, when contacted Narottam Mishra said the video was fabricated. He didn’t get involved in any horse trading.
Narottam Mishra, accused by veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh in a press conference in Delhi on Monday of offering Rs 25 crore to Congress and independent MLAs to topple the state government, said, “I am in Delhi. No Congress or independent MLAs are with me.”
The phones of all the above mentioned MLAs were constantly switched off, except that of Sanjeev Singh of the BSP.
Sanjeev Kushwah said, “I am in Delhi. I am not a person who can be taken anywhere. Mai apni marji ka malik hun. Mai koi vastu nahi ki koi mujhe kahin par bhi lekar chala jaaye. Jisko bhi support karna hoga danke ki chot par karunga (I take my own decisions. I am not a thing that anyone can take me anywhere. Whoever I have to support, I will support openly).”
However, Sanjeev Kushwah said, “I am supporting the Congress government.”
Talking to the media, the lone SP MLA Rajesh Shukla said, “I am in Delhi. It’s just a coincidence that I reached Delhi with the BJP and Congress MLAs. I am with the government.”
Meanwhile, newly appointed state president of BJP VD Sharma said, “The BJP has nothing to do with whatever is going on. This is a result of squabbling within the Congress.”
In the 230-member state assembly Congress has 114 MLAs and BJP 107. There are four independent MLAs of whom Pradeep Jaiswal is a minister, two BSP MLAs and one SP MLA. Two seats one held by the Congress and the other held by the BJP are vacant.
