New Delhi, March 25 (SocialNews.XYZ) Days after the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh collapsed due to the mass resignation by 22 Congress MLAs and Shivraj Singh Chouhan was sworn in as the BJP chief minister, former Union Minister Kapil Sibal said 'virus' has inflicted the political system, as India went into lockdown.

Earlier too, Sibal had launched his debate in the Rajya Sabhaon delhi riots calling it a "communal virus attack". Speaking to IANS he said that "10th schedule is not able to protect defection as the BJP has taken other route by way of resignation".

He said "no dissident in any party will resign unless there is a benefit clause attached to it,even the floor test has become a "farce" as we are witnessing constitutional anarchy", said Sibal.

"The tenth schedule was to protect 'Aya Ram and Gaya Ram politic'. It prevents members of Parliament and assemblies from cross voting and defying the whip or resign. It invites disqualification of a member who voluntarily gives up membership of the political party to which he or she belongs or votes against the whip issued by the party in the course of proceedings in Parliament or the legislature.Sibal said

In the 10 schedule when two third of the MLAs merge along with the floor leader then it's allowed otherwise it invites defection laws and subsequently disqualification. But this is difficult to implement in large assemblies. In small states like Goa, it has happened.

Kapil Sibal alleged that BJP is engineering defection by resignation where MLAs are lured and kept in captivity and moved in chartered flights operating even from high security zones.

In case of Madhya Pradesh MLAs, the quitting lot was lodged in Bengaluru and no congress leaders were allowed to meet them.

The party leader alleged that in Karnataka the coalition government was destabilised by the resignation method and the beneficiary was the BJP.

He cited Uttrakhand, where the government was dislodged by this method and MLAs were whisked away to Delhi but timely intervention but the High Court saved the government.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 24 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Tuesday asked his successor Shivraj Singh Chouhan why the BJP government is playing a double standard game against the coronavirus pandemic.

Chouhan, who took oath on Monday night, proved his majority by winning the trust vote in the Assembly on Tuesday.

Taking to Twitter, Nath said , "The trust vote was a formality and could have been held later. While others are being harassed for flouting the curfew norms, but the government chooses to defy them and calls a session to seek a vote. This is the first day. The government doesn't practice what it preaches."

The Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for March 26 across the country have been postponed due to COVID-19, the Election Commission announced on Tuesday.

However, in Madhya Pradesh, the irony could be underlined that despite curfew being imposed in Bhopal and Jabalpur which have together reported seven positive cases of the coronavirus and 45 districts placed under lockdown, the new Chief Minister chose to seek a trust vote on Tuesday in the absence of the Opposition after the Assembly was convened at a short notice of 12 hours.

The term of MPs Digvijaya Singh, Satyanarayana Jatiya and Prabhat Jha in Madhya Pradesh is also nearing end on April 9.

The Congress has nominated former Chief Ministers Digvijaya Singh and Phool Singh Baraiya for two seats, while the BJP has fielded former Union Ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sumer Singh. Both the parties are sure to get one seat each but the contest on the other is likely to be interesting, though according to the statistics, the other seat is also likely to go to the saffron party.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 24 (SocialNews.XYZ) With the Opposition abstaining due to "Corona curfew" the new Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan won a unanimous trust vote on Tuesday.

The Assembly proceedings began at 11 a.m. but not a single Congress MLA arrived to attend the House and the vote of confidence turned into a farcical exercise. All MLAs favoured the government.

Earlier Narmada Prasad Prajapati resigned as the Speaker and MLA Jagdish Deora completed the proceedings as pro-tem Speaker. The session was then adjourned till March 27.

After the demise of two members and resignation of 22 the strength of the Legislative Assembly is 206. The abstaining Congress has 92 members and it has a support of two Independents.

Besides, there are two of BSP, one of SP and two independent MLAs. BJP would have normally needed 104 votes to prove its majority. It has 107 MLAs.

While presenting the trust vote Chouhan said that the Governor has asked his government to prove majority in 15 days while it has earned it on day one itself.

After 15 months and six days, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has become the Chief Minister of the state again.

Chouhan is the only leader of the state to hold this post for the fourth time. In view of the corona crisis, only 40 people were called to the oath ceremony. The seating arrangement ensured a distance of at least one meter between each invitee. Barring Doordarshan and ANI no media representatives were handed invitations.

After taking the oath, Chouhan said the only priority now is to prevent spread of Corona virus. This is a big challenge. I will first review the situation and take immediate decisions.

After the Assembly session on Tuesday, he appointed Iqbal Singh Bains as the new Chief Secretary of the state replacing Gopal Reddy.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 24 (SocialNews.XYZ) In one of the first decisions taken after becoming Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday appointed Iqbal Singh Bains as the Chief Secretary of the state.

In an official order, Bains a 1985 batch IAS officer, who was posted as Chairman of the Revenue Board has been appointed as the Chief Secretary.

Earlier on Tuesday morning, Chouhan proved the majority in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly.

Chouhan took oath as Chief Minister on Monday evening at the Governor's House.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, March 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) A meeting of the BJP Legislature Party in Madhya Pradesh will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday. The BJP has issued special instructions to the legislators regarding this meeting to be held in the state party office amid the lockdown due to coronavirus. The MLAs who want to attend the meeting can reach the venue without supporters or they can join from home through videoconferencing. Sources say that the new Chief Minister can also take oath at Raj Bhavan at 7 p.m.

Party sources said there is a possibility of Shivraj Singh Chouhan being elected the leader of the legislative party. If this happens, then Chouhan will become the Chief Minister of the state for the fourth time.

Why is Chouhan the strongest contender? There are many reasons for this. He has the image of being a people's leader while the other contenders, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and senior party leader Narottam Mishra, do not have a presence among the people.

In the 2018 Assembly election, the BJP had selected the candidates going by the suggestions of Chouhan. Hence, there are many Chouhan loyalists in the party. Sources say that since the by-elections for 24 seats are yet to take place, the BJP leadership will not overlook Chouhan.

The party also believes that it will be risky to introduce a new face as Chief Minister at this juncture. Sources say that Jyotiraditya Scindia is also in favour of making Chouhan the Chief Minister.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 22 (SocialNews.XYZ) With the BJP waiting in the wings to form the government in Madhya Pradesh, Governor Lalji Tandon on Sunday wrote a stern letter to Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati telling him to quit his post as per convention.

The Governor said by convention the Speaker must quit once the party that elected him loses power.

A BJP delegation had called on the Governor on Saturday to complain about the Speaker who accepted the resignation of BJP legislator Sharad Kole. The BJP which was clamouring for early acceptance of 22 Congress legislators in absentia complained that Kole's resignation was accepted in haste. Kole had handed the paper personally, but subsequently e-mailed a message against the acceptance of his resignation.

The Governor mentioned a no-confidence motion moved by the BJP in the Assembly against the Speaker and asked him to take it up on priority when the session is convened.

"Until the no confidence motion is decided by the House, I expect you to work in accordance with the Constitution, Assembly rules and morality by studying the legality of every subject," the Governor stated in the letter.

After Chief Minister Kamal Nath stepped down before facing a trust vote on Friday, the Speaker had adjourned the Assembly sine die.

At the centre of the latest dispute is the resignation letter sent by BJP MLA Sharad Kole on March 6. While Kole claimed that he had sent another letter on March 16 requesting the Speaker not to accept his resignation, the Speaker insisted he accepted the resignation because neither did he receive any other letter before that nor the legislator met him in person.

On Saturday evening a BJP delegation called on the Governor seeking his intervention in the dispute over Kole's resignation. "At the moment there is no leader of house and the house is not functional and the Speaker should not take any policy decision that harms or protects someone's interests. Yet, politically motivated decisions are being taken," Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava said in the complaint informing the Governor that a no confidence motion had been submitted against the Speaker, but he did not act on it.

The BJP demanded that a pro-tem speaker should be appointed to ensure that "constitutional values and democratic traditions" are followed. The BJP accused the speaker of following unlawful procedure to accept Kole's resignation.

Besides attaching copies of complaints by the BJP, the Governor in his letter to the Speaker quoted a constitutional expert's opinion published in a local newspaper that said if a government falls the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker elected during that regime should resign.

Both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker Heena Kanvre belong to the Congress. After the Congress came to power in 2018 polls, the BJP had demanded election for the Speaker's post. By convention the Speaker (belonging to the ruling party) is elected unanimously and the Deputy Speaker belongs to the opposition party. Because the BJP forced an election for the Speaker's post, the Congress named its own MLA as the Deputy Speaker.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 22 (SocialNews.XYZ) Amid high profile political drama, Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon has called on State Assembly Principal Secretary A.P. Singh following controversy over the acceptance of BJP MLA Sharad Kol's resignation from the House.

The Governor maintained a discreet distance from the Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati who had delayed termination of the 22 rebel Congress legislators, and defied the Governor to avert an early floor-test for Kamal Nath government.

A delegation of the BJP leaders had met the Governor seeking direction against termination of Kol's resignation. Kol who had switched his loyalty for Kamal Nath, met the Speaker to quit as BJP legislator.

Singh's visit to the Raj Bhawan came after the state BJP leaders in the evening met the Governor and sought his direction to the Assembly speaker and Assembly secretariat not to accept their MLA Sharad Kol's resignation which he had allegedly given under pressure.

BJP leaders, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Gopal Bhargava met the Governor on Saturday and told him about how Kol had resigned (on March 6) under pressure, but withdrew it within stipulated time.

On March 16, our tribal MLA Sharadji in person went to the Assembly and withdrew his resignation, Chouhan had told the reporters.

"He had also come to the Governor house and said that he has resigned under pressure and his resignation should not be accepted (by the speaker). Unfortunately, the speaker who should be impartial, indulging in partisan action," Chouhan said.

"The speaker wants the Assembly secretariat principal secretary to accept Kol resignation now," Gopal Bhargava said.

"As the assembly is in suspended animation," the Speaker does not have such a power, Bhagava said adding he too right is not functioning as the leader of opposition. The BJP which was impatient about the speaker delaying action of Congress members' resignations, wants the governor to pressure the Assembly against accepting Kol's resignation to save its numbers

The BJP's strength in the Assembly is 107 whereas of the Congress member is 92. The BJP does not want to lose a member. The State Assembly has been reduced to 206 members after 22 Congress rebel MLAs resignations were accepted. Kol and another BJP MLA Narayan Tripathi had voted for Congress sponsored Bill in the Assembly last year.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, March 22 (SocialNews.XYZ) Shivraj Singh Chouhan is also known as a mass leader at the grass root level whereas the other contenders - Narendra Singh Tomar and Narottam Mishra are popular only in their constituencies.

In 2018, tickets for the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, were distributed at Chouhan's direction, which establishes his popularity among MLAs in the state.In the current scenario, by-polls would be scheduled on 24 seats and Chouhan, therefore the BJP central leadership would not intend to make him unhappy.

According to BJP sources, it is not advised to prop-up a new face for the Chief Minister in the state. Due to the wafer thin majority in the state, the BJP is very careful in making any political move, as in case of defection in the ranks of the BJP then it would become extremely embarrassing for the party.

Even, former senior Congress leader Jyotiraj Scindia who recently joined the BJP would not want Tomar, who hails from his constituency, would become the chief minister face.

Last evening, Chouhan had called all the BJP MLAs for dinner at home, it is a popular style to lobby for his interests, but due to coronavirus scare this was cancelled.

According to BJP sources, the central leadership in Delhi was not in favour of this dinner lobbying before there is a meeting of all MLAs.

Chouhan's absence was noted at BJP Presdient J.P. Nadda house where the Congress rebel MLAs joined the BJP.

Interesingly, Tomar was present at this occasion. Moreover, Chouhan has not tweeted yet to welcome the Congress MLAs into BJP.

According to political observers, there is an inkling that the central leadership has given a message to Chouhan.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, March 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) Twenty-two Congress legislators, including six ministers, who earlier tendered their resignations amid a political crisis in Madhya Pradesh as Jyotiraditya Scindia jumped ship to BJP, met BJP Presidnet J.P. Nadda on Saturday.

All the 22 Congress MLA's are expected to take primary membership of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Jyotiraditya Scindia was present at the moment when they met Nadda. Apart from him, two key leaders of Madhya Pradesh -- Narendra Tomar and Kailash Vijayvargiya were also present.

After the 22 MLAs deserted the Kamal Nath government, the veteran Congress leader resigned from his post just ahead of a crucial floor test.

It all started with Scindia's disenchantment with the Congress. In his resignation letter to Congress' interim President Sonia Gandhi, Scindia wrote: "While my aim and purpose remain the same as it has always been from the very beginning, to serve the people of my state and country, I believe I am unable to do this anymore within this party."

He even accused his former party of living in denial.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, March 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) After the resignation of former chief minister Kamal Nath, efforts are on to form a new government in Madhya Pradesh. Sources said that the next government is likely to assume office by March 25.

The BJP legislature party meeting which was scheduled to be held on Saturday has been postponed and this will now be held on Monday due to coronavirus. The BJP will stake claim to form the next government just after the formal meeting of the legislature party.

Central observers Dharmendra Pradhan and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe are likely to go to Bhopal for the BJP legislature party meeting. Sources have said that a dinner to be held at the residence of former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday night was also cancelled due to coronavirus.

Sources have claimed that the new government can take charge on the first day of Navratri which is beginning from March 25.

Many names are doing the rounds for the post of next Chief Minister. However, Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar are believed to be front runners.

Source: IANS

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Bengaluru, March 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) About 20 former rebel Congress MLAs of Madhya Pradesh would be leaving for Bhopal on Saturday by a chartered aircraft after a 12-day stay at the resorts in the city's northern outskirts, a source said.

"Our former rebels have decided to leave for Bhopal today (Saturday) as they are no longer required to stay after Kamal Nath resigned and his government fell on Friday," a party source told IANS on the condition of anonymity.

Though all the former rebels were to leave Bengaluru on Friday evening hours after Nath resigned in Bhopal post-noon, they differed the departure to Saturday as they were waiting for a communique from their 'leader' (Jyotiraditya Scindia).

The 49-year-old scion of Gwalior, joined the BJP on March 11 after resigning from the Congress on March 10 in New Delhi, owing to serious differences with Nath and senior party leader Digvijaya Singh on governance and party issues.

"One of the ex-rebels (Suresh Dhankar) left for Bhopal on Friday following a death in his family. The rest of them remained at the resort to fly back to Bhopal all together on Saturday," the source recalled.

The 16 former rebels expressed relief after Assembly Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapathi accepted their resignations also on Thursday night, paving way for the downfall of the 15-month-old Congress government in the central Indian state.

The speaker accepted the resignations of 6 of them on March 14 a day after Governor Lalji Tandon sacked them from the cabinet on the recommendation of Nath on March 10.

The former rebels, however, remained incommunicado with the media even after Nath resigned, ostensibly under advice by their leader as the political situation in their state is fluid and they are yet to decide on their future course of action.

"The ex-rebels have also been advised to return to Bhopal by Saturday evening as the 'janata curfew' Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Thursday night will come into force on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.," the source hinted.

The former rebels also refused to meet Digvijaya Singh at the resort on Wednesday and sought protection from the state police for their security. Singh tried to meet the former rebels as a party candidate for the March 26 Rajya Sabha bypolls from their state for his re-election to the Upper House for another term.

The state director-general of police also declined to allow Singh to meet the former rebels as they told him in writing that they were not interested to meet him.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) After the big celebration over the ouster of Kamal Nath government, the BJP on Friday got down to the serious business of forming the government in Madhya Pradesh.

The Vidhan Sabha was adjourned without holding the floor test that was ordered by the Supreme Court.

Kamal Nath ministry's resignation without going through the ignominy of the floor test has ensured the next sitting would be steered by a new government.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan whose 13-year reign preceded Kamal Nath rule almost assumed he would be handed back the reins. He has already been brow-beating the bureaucracy for a over a week now. "Will deal with each of you soon," he had been telling the officials.

The party leadership has been restrained as it knows there are more contenders now. Slogans have been raised in favour of both Chouhan and Narottam Mishra who sparked off the defection drama.

The dark horse is the Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar, whose house in Delhi had turned into the war room during the tense drama over holding the rebels in Bengaluru. The resignations of the 22 Congress rebels will be a major cause for the party's worry as they would ask for their pound of flesh. The state also stares 25 by elections caused by the resignations of 23 MLAs and the demise of two. The vacancies have to be filled up by September 20.

The emergency over Corona virus and the budget for the coming year would also engage the new government

The Governor can ask the largest party BJP to form the government. The BJP can stake claim to form the government even before the Governor's invitation.

Even after it forms the government BJP will have to go through the floor test in the Assembly.

There are 230 seats in the Assembly. BJP must win at least 10 seats in the by-elections. It has 106 MLAs. If 4 independents support the BJP the ruling combine would have 110 members. BJP will need 6 more seats for a majority if a by-election is held on 25 seats. If the independents refuse support the BJP would have to win 10 seats through the by-elections.

The Congress will need to win 17 seats in the by-elections. The party would need to win 24 seats to return to power on its own.

The BJP was second on 20 of the 22 seats that returned the rebel Congress MLAs. On 11 seats the margin was less than 10 per cent. Of the 22 seats 15 were elected from Gwalior-Chambal, a stronghold of Scindia.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) Jyotiraditya Scindia was a lad of eight years when Kamal Nath hatched probably his first major plot to topple the Janata Party government in 1980 led by Morarji Desai.

As Sanjay Gandhi's friend Nath had established contact with Raj Narain, who had humbled Indira Gandhi in the famous electoral malpractice case in Allahabad High Court that led to the imposition of Emergency. With ample help from Raj Narain, the Congress had subsequently toppled the Janata Party government by creating a rift between Morarji Desai and Charan Singh.

Kamal Nath told Narain that Congress was ready to extend support to the Charan Singh led government. Raj Narain lured Charan Singh into forming the government with Congress support in July 1979 and in January 1980, the Congress pulled the rug from beneath Charan Singh's feet.

With the help and support of Raj Narain and Ram Manohar Lohia, Charan Singh first became Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1967. Raj Narain was again instrumental in bringing the Janata Party to power. But he colluded with Kamal Nath and Sanjay Singh to bring about the fall of the Charan Singh government just 24 days after forming the government.

Life has brought him to the pass where the same lad has emerged as his nemesis. Ironically Jyotiraditya was his party colleague just a few days ago and his father Madhavrao Scindia was his colleague.

One offensive remark about the junior Scindia has cost Kamal Nath his job. Scindia felt neglected in the party as Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath had systematically marginalised him in the organisation. Kamal Nath who held both the PCC chief and Chief Minister's post would miss no chance to snub Scindia and his camp followers in the ministry.

The flashpoint came when Scindia expressed his frustration saying he would hit the streets if the promises
made in the state manifesto were not fulfilled. Nath snubbed Scindia and dared him to go ahead and hit the streets. Nath must be ruing the day he made the remark.

His anger spilled over during his interaction with the media. Nath chose Jyotiraditya Scindia for special treatment during his press conference before resigning as chief minister. Scindia ended his 18-year association with Congress to join the BJP and played a key role in ouster of Kamal Nath's government.

"One ambitious and power-hungry Maharaja (Jyotiraditya Scindia, defeated in the last Lok Sabha elections from Guna) rejected by the public and his 22 greedy MLAs and the BJP conspired to kill democratic values (in MP)," Nath said.

"People of the state won't forgive these greedy rebels (MLAs) who betrayed them," he added.

Scindia also tweeted to hit back, "Today the people have won in Madhya Pradesh. I have always believed that politics should be the medium of public service, but the state government deviated from this path. Truth has won again. Satyameva Jayate."

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, who put up a brave face throughout the fortnight-long crisis before his unexpected surrender, poured out his emotions in a 20-minute press conference before proceeding to hand in his papers to the Governor.

He singled out Jyotiraditya Scindia, the key character in the long drama preceding the fall of the Congress government, for special treatment. Scindia ended his 18-year association with the Congress to join the BJP and whisked away most of his supporters to Bengaluru to oust the Kamal Nath ministry.

"One ambitious and power-hungry Maharaja (Jyotiraditya Scindia, defeated in the last Lok Sabha elections from Guna) rejected by the public and his 22 greedy MLAs and the BJP conspired to kill democratic values (in MP)," Nath said. "People of the state won't forgive these greedy rebels (MLAs) who betrayed them," he added.

"No one could point a finger at me during the previous 15 years of BJP rule in Madhya Pradesh. I had never phoned Chief Minister or any minister for a favour. If I did it was for Chhindwara's development," Nath said.

"But during my 15-month rule, BJP didn't like people-centric works of my government. Right from day one the BJP tried to destabilise my government." Nath alleged that the 22 rebel Congress MLAs were kept captive in Bengaluru by the BJP.

A long motorcade accompanied him with all the remaining Cabinet ministers also joining him in tendering their resignations. That was apparently part of the optics. The council of ministers normally hands the resignations to the Chief Minister.

"I never indulged in politics of auction and horse-trading," Nath said. "I have practiced clean politics based on values, and the people stand witness to it. I took over the office of CM on December 17, 2018. I believe in politics of development. In my career I have pursued it. I was handed a mandate for five years to give a new identity to the state."

"BJP killed the democratic values with conspiratorial politics. I have proved my majority on the floor of the house thrice during my stint...but BJP betrayed the people of state by destabilising the government," he said.

Nath listed the accomplishments of his government during the past 15 months including the farm loan waiver and development of cow shelters. He claimed that 400 promises made in the election manifesto were completed in 15 months. He said that the BJP was scared of a performing government.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath handed over his resignation letter to Governor Lalji Tandon at 1.30 p.m., half an hour before the scheduled special session for the floor test on Friday.

Tandon accepted his resignation, an official of Raj Bhawan said. The resignation obviated the floor test and therefore the special session that was to be held on the order of the Supreme Court. Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati then adjourned the House sine die.

The House might be called on March 26 now to conduct the Rajya Sabha elections. Touching scenes of the members hugging each other marked the end of the special session that turned out to be a non-event.

The day began with the news of BJP MLA Sharad Kol of Beohari resigning his membership of the House. With his resignation being accepted the strength of the House came down further. Expectations were raised with the hope of Congress causing some more dents in the opposition. The reducing numbers of the House were only helping the BJP consolidate its position.

The Congress which came to power after 15 years of struggle squandered the state in just 15 months. All the BJP legislators who had lodged themselves at a resort 50 kms away from Bhopal returned to the House only to be told no floor test was needed. The Congress' bravado seen till Friday morning evaporated in the face of BJP's stubborn resistance.

Kamal Nath on Friday made an impassioned speech before the media before proceeding to hand his resignation to the Governor and end an 18-day drama that was enacted across Haryana, Bengaluru, New Delhi and Bhopal.

"In my 40-year-long public life, I have practiced politics of propriety and valued democratic norms with utmost priority. But what transpired in the last two weeks is a new chapter of devaluation of democratic values," his resignation letter read.

In the letter, he also congratulated the new chief minister of the state and said he will extend all help in the development of the state.

His resignation opened the door for the BJP to form the next government. The party has a majority with 104 members in a House reduced to 206 members after the resignation of 22 Congress rebels mostly of Jyotiraditya Scindia's camp. The overall strength of the House was 230 before the demise of two members. "We are on the verge of forming the government," a BJP leader said.

Kamal Nath told the media about his resignation after his party's tally came down to 92 and allies refused to come to the aid of the party. "I have today decided to tender my resignation to the Governor to value the country's democratic values. Today will be followed by tomorrow, and the day after. The public which was betrayed by the greedy is a witness," he said.

Source: IANS

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On March 2, veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had flagged the press in New Delhi saying the BJP was making an attempt to buy some MLAs to dethrone the Congress government in MP.

On March 3, Digvijaya Singh, his son Jaivardhan and MP Ministers Jitu Patwari and Tarun Bhanot rushed to Haryana and were able to bring back 6 MLAs to Bhopal.

The drama started when 10 disenchanted MLAs of Congress and its allies reached a hotel in Haryana and contacted the BJP leadership apparently to topple the Kamal Nath government in MP.

In the meantime, four disgruntled MLAs were flown to Bengaluru. Two of them, Congress MLA Bisahulal Singh and an Independent Surendra Singh Shera were cajoled and brought back to Bhopal. Bisahulal Singh flew back to Bengaluru and was staying there with the rebels.

After this unsuccessful bid, sources said the BJP central leadership took the operation in its hand suspecting that there was a black sheep in the flock in the state leadership.

Thereafter the BJP cast its net on Jyotiraditya Scindia, then Congress general secretary who was not getting along well with Nath and Digvijaya. His 19 loyalist legislators went incommunicado on March 9. By evening they landed up at a resort in Bengaluru. These MLAs were airlifted to Delhi by charted planes.

They were joined in by 3 others disgruntled MLAs. These MLAs, according to reports, thought that they had come to Bengaluru as a part of strategy to exert pressure on the Congress leadership to offer Scindia a berth in the Upper House.

Scindia resigned on March 10. When according to sources, he told his MLAs that he was joining BJP, many legislators were averse to his plan. However, he placated them and joined the BJP the next day.

The 22 MLAs emailed their resignation which was accepted to two phases including last night, reducing the Congress government to a minority.

The Congress had hoped the Supreme Court would see through the BJP's game plan on March 19 and ensure the 22 rebels were made accountable to the Speaker. This did not happen. Even then the Congress was suggesting it would pull it off at the last minute. However, with the Speaker accepting the resignations of the MLAs after the Supreme Court order for a floor test on Friday, sealed the government's fate.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) After the collapse of the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh, the suspense on the new Chief Minister looms large as Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that the BJP high command will decide on the issue.

Before leaving for Bhopal, Tomar said that "there is no talk yet started on the Chief Ministership but the party high command will be deciding the issue".

BJP has two strong contenders for the top post apart from Shivraj Singh Chouhan the former CM of the state. Narottam Mishra who has been instrumental in bringing down the government and Tomar who is a favourite of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, sources in the BJP said.

The major coup in the Congress was engineered by Jyotiraditya Scindia who hails from the same region as Tomar. The MLAs from the Chambal region openly rebelled and resigned from the Congress camp. The region of Gwalior, Guna, Bhind and Morena had enables Congress to reach one short of magic figure in 2018 elections.

Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon has accepted the resignation of Kamal Nath as Chief Minister, however, he has asked Nath to continue to work as acting Chief Minister till an alternative arrangement emerges. According to information from Raj Bhavan, "Chief Minister Kamal Nath submitted his resignation letter to Governor Lalji Tandon on Friday at Raj Bhavan. The Governor has accepted his resignation and asked him to continue as acting Chief Minister till a new Chief Minister is sworn in."

In his resignation, Nath said, "In my 40 years of political career, I have always abided by the democratic values. Whatever happened in Madhya Pradesh over the last two weeks is against democracy. A new chapter of democratic devaluation has been drafted."

"I resign as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. I wish all the best to the next Chief Minister. I will continue to extend my support to the development of Madhya Pradesh," he added.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Bharatiya Janata Party has intensified the exercise to form the government soon after the Kamal Nath government collapsed in Madhya Pradesh. A round of meetings has started from Delhi to Bhopal. A similar meeting took place at the residence of Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in Delhi, after which there is speculation about the next Chief Minister of the state.

Many BJP leaders including Dharmendra Pradhan and Jyotiraditya Scindia attended the meeting. Sources say that a strategy was chalked out in this meeting about the formation of the government in Madhya Pradesh. The cabinet formation was also discussed at this meeting.

Meanwhile, Scindia interacted with the media in Delhi and said all those legislators who have resigned will win in the upcoming elections.

Earlier, reacting to Kamal Nath's resignation, Scindia said: "Today the people have won in Madhya Pradesh. We will regain public confidence and go on the path of public service again."

A meeting of BJP legislators is going be held on Friday evening in which Shivraj Singh Chouhan is expected to be elected the Leader of the Legislature Party.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon has accepted the resignation of Kamal Nath as Chief Minister; however, he has asked Nath to continue to work as acting Chief Minister till an alternative arrangement emerges.

According to information from Raj Bhavan, "Chief Minister Kamal Nath submitted his resignation letter to Governor Lalji Tandon on Friday at Raj Bhavan. The Governor has accepted his resignation and asked him to continue as acting Chief Minister till a new Chief Minister is sworn in."

In his resignation, Nath said, "In my 40 years of political career, I have always abided by the democratic values. Whatever happened in Madhya Pradesh over the last two weeks is against the democracy. A new chapter of democratic devaluation has been drafted."

"I resign as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. I wish all the best to the next Chief Minister. I will continue to extend my support to the development of Madhya Pradesh," he added.

Prior to submitting his resignation, Nath held a press conference and listed the achievements of his 15-month-old government. He said the BJP has been trying to topple the government since the beginning.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Congress has alleged that the 'hotel diplomacy' has won against the real democracy after the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh collapsed following the resignation of Kamal Nath from the Chief Minister's post.

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi tweeted: "Today democracy defeated by hotel diplomacy."

Ahead of the floor test, the Congress could not muster a majority after an open rebellion by 22 Congress MLAs, including six ministers.

The apex court on Thursday directed the Kamal Nath government to prove majority by Friday 5 p.m. After the apex court's ruling, the Speaker accepted the resignation of the 16 MLAs and BJP MLA Sharad Kaul. The resignation of six MLAs was accepted by the Speaker earlier.

The Congress government fell after surviving on a razor thin majority for 15 months. The Congress strength in the House was reduced to 92 MLAs, which had 114 MLAs when the House was elected.

The Congress, which was out of power since 2003, managed to form the government in 2018 after getting support from the Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and four Independents.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Slamming the BJP for destabilising the Madhya Pradesh government, Chief Minister Kamal Nath resigned on Friday ahead of the trust vote in the state Assembly, ending a 15-month-old Congress rule in the state.

Kamal Nath's government lost majority after the resignation on 22 MLAs, who are in support of Jyotiraditya Scindia, who recently moved to the BJP.

Before resigning Kamal Nath addressed the media and alleged that its was BJP conspiracy in the state to pull down the elected government.

He said that he worked for the development of the state and BJP did not want action against the mafias operating in the state.

The outgoing Chief Minister alleged: "This breach of trust was against the people of Madhya Pradesh, not against me. People will not forgive those who went against their wishes. Twenty-two of our MLAs were held captive in Bengaluru. This was politics spending crores of rupees."

"I got the mandate for five years but got only 15 months. BJP ruled for 15 years and from day one, it was a conspiracy of the BJP to destabilise the government," he added.

Former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh was among the audience, as were many of the Congress MLAs.

The Supreme Court has asked for the vote of confidence to be taken up on Friday till 5 p.m.

The road to power in Madhya Pradesh for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, cleared up with Kamal Nath's resignation.

He announced his resignation in a press conference and said he will submit it to Governor Lalji Tandon at 1 p.m. which meant there was no need for the floor test now.

Sources in the BJP said the party will meet the Governor in the evening and stake claim to form the government in the state. All the BJP MLAs have been asked to be in the state.

The Congress government led by Kamal Nath fell short of majority after the former Congress leader Jyortiraditya Scindia resigned from the party.

Ahead of the floor test there was a frantic effort to pull off a near impossible win in Friday's floor test, the Congress held three meetings in quick succession till 10.45 p.m. on Thursday.

The Speaker's approval for the proposal finally came shortly after Thursday midnight. After he accepted the resignation of rest 16 MLAs who are holed up in Bengaluru.

Earlier in the day, BJP MLA Sharad Kol resigned. The Speaker accepted his resignation

The present strength of the House after the resignation of Kamal Nath is Congress + = 99. BJP = +106. The halfway mark is 103.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Madhya Pradesh Assembly speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati accepted the resignation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sharad Kaul on Friday.

Kaul submitted his resignation to the Speaker on March 6.

Talking to reporters, Prajapati said: "Kaul resigned from the membership on March 6. His resignation has been accepted following all the process. A notification regarding this has also been issued."

The BJP is left with 106 MLAs after the latest development.

Notably, the resignations of 16 rebel MLAs were accepted on Thursday late night while resignations of six ministers were accepted on March 14.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Friday called for a legislative party meeting at his residence ahead of the floor test in the state Assembly.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court had ordered a floor test for the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in the state and asked to complete the proceedings before 5 p.m.

State Public Relations Minister P.C. Sharma said that a legislative party meeting has been called by the Chief Minister at 10.30 a.m. on Friday. Sharma also claimed that the Kamal Nath-led government will successfully prove the majority.

The Assembly Secretariat has called a session at 2 p.m. on Friday on the orders of the Supreme Court. The agenda was declared by the Secretariat late on Thursday night.

Kamal Nath has also called a press conference at 12 noon on Friday ahead of the Assembly session where he is expected to make an important announcement.

Both the BJP and the Congress have issued whip to their legislators. The current situation of the Assembly seems to be in BJP's favour as the resignations of 16 rebel Congress MLAs was accepted by Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati on Thursday.

In the 230-member Madhya Pradseh, 23 seats are vacant. Therefore, in an Assembly of 206, it is important to have the support of 104 MLAs. The BJP has 107 while the Congress is left with only 92. Including the support of the BSP, SP and Independents, the Congress will be able to manage the support of only 99 MLAs.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) As the Kamal Nath-led government in Madhya Pradesh braces for the vote of confidence on the direction of the Supreme Court, the current arithmetic of the Assembly appears to be favouring the BJP. Both the Congress and the BJP have issued the crucial whip for their MLAs.

The Assembly Secretariat has called the session at 2 p.m. on the direction of the Supreme Court. The agenda was released by the Secretariat late on Thursday night.

However, Chief Minister Kamal Nath has called a press conference before the session.

Amid the recent political developments, the Chief Minister's press conference is considered important because he may make a big announcement.

At present, the arithmetic of the Assembly seems to be in favour of the BJP, especially after Speaker N.P. Prajapati accepted the resignation of 16 more Congress MLAs on Thursday night.

The Legislative Assembly has 230 MLAs, of which 24 seats are vacant. A majority in the House of 206 MLAs will require the support of 104 MLAs. The BJP has 107 MLAs, and the Congress 92. The Congress has the support of the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and Independent MLAs, which totals up to 99.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) With the Speaker of the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Narmada Prasad Prajapati accepting the resignations of the 16 legislators holed up in Bengaluru, it has become clear the Kamal Nath government will quit on Friday.

In a frantic effort to pull off a near impossible win in Friday's floor test, the Congress held three meetings in quick succession till 10.45 p.m.. Would there be a floor test at all? There was no indication of the business list for Saturday's sitting till midnight on Thursday. The Vidhan Sabha Secretariat had kept the proposal for the special session in compliance of Supreme Court directive to begin at 2 p.m. on Friday.

The Speaker's approval for the proposal finally came shortly after Thursday midnight.

The Chief Minister announced his decision to address a press conference at noon on Saturday. This was a clear indication of an impending resignation during the press conference.

After the meeting at the Chief Minister's house, the entire legislature party minus the 16 MLAs holed up in Bengaluru went into another huddle at state cabinet minister Sajjan Singh Verma's house to see if a last-ditch effort could be made to survive.

The legal eagles in the party suggested filing a curative petition on Friday before the Supreme Court. Even that seemed unlikely when the Speaker accepted the resignations.

The BJP also held frequent meeting till midnight. The party demanded security throughout the route of the buses the resort off Bhopal to the Vidhan Sabha. Former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told the media at 12.40 a.m. that it was for the government to ensure the Supreme Court's orders were enforced in letter and spirit.

Chouhan has written letters to the Speaker and the Vidhan sabha Secretary also.

The BJP spokespersons continued to address the media persons till after midnight said the Congress government expectedly fell under the weight of its own contradictions. The government took some frantic decisions to appease the MLAs over the past three days. If only half of the work done during the past three days was done in the past 15 months things would not have come to this pass.

The Congress Spokesperson blamed the BJP for the money power bringing down a government.

Now the strength of the House has been reduced to 206 and The BJP with a strength of 107 has the numbers to stake the claim for formation of the government. The Congress numbers have been reduced to 92. There are four independents and two BSP and one SP member in the House. They could switch loyalty to the BJP.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) The ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP on Thursday issued whips to their respective MLAs ahead of the floor test of the Kamal Nath-government in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Friday.

The Chief Whip of the Congress, Govind Singh, has issued a whip, saying that a three-line whip was issued before the Assembly session began on March 14.

In the fresh whip issued for the Friday's Assembly session, party MLAs have been asked to vote in favour of the trust vote.

Similarly, BJP Chief Whip Narottam Mishra on Thursday night issued a whip, which said that all the MLAs must be present in the House on March 20 and vote against the vote of confidence motion of the state government.

Source: IANS

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Bengaluru, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) In yet another setback to Madhya Pradesh senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, Karnataka Director-General of Police (DGP) Praveen Sood declined to deliver his letter to his party rebels staying at a resort in the citys northern suburbs, a party official said on Thursday.

"Singh requested Sood to deliver his letter to 18 rebels through his staff as he was not allowed to meet them by the police deployed at the resort and the latter also did not want to meet him," the party's official Prakash Rathod told IANS here.

Singh sought Sood's help to reach out the defiant rebels as a candidate in the March 26 by-elections for his re-election to the Rajya Sabha from the central India state.

"As I am unable to meet my party legislators who are my voters in the by-polls, I have appealed to them to vote for me, as 16 of them are still MLAs because the assembly speaker did not accept their resignations so far," Singh told reporters here earlier in the day.

Singh's attempt to meet the rebels on Wednesday did not succeed after the Karnataka High Court declined to direct the state DGP for allowing him to enter Ramada resort where the rebels have been staying since March 14 night. They shifted from another resort on the city's northern outskirts where they checked-in on March 9 on flying from New Delhi and Bhopal in two chartered aircraft.

"Sood told Singh that he cannot be his courier man to deliver the letter as the latter went to the high court for a direction to him and that his case was adjourned for next hearing on March 26," Rathod recalled.

Accusing Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa of preventing Sood from allowing him to meet the rebels, Singh said he wrote the letter to the rebels after the police chief on Wednesday told him he could give a letter to him stating that he wanted to meet the legislators as a party candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-elections.

Sood told Singh that he had to consult the state legal team even for receiving the letter because the latter sought judicial intervention by going to the court.

Sood also told Singh that he could not allow him to enter the resort as the rebels wrote to him again on Wednesday that they did not want to meet the latte and sought protection for them by deploying security in and around the resort.

Charging the BJP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah with "scripting and executing" the ongoing political crisis in the central Indian state, he appealed to the rebel legislators not to take any step that will favour the JP Nadda-led party.

"I have sympathy for the DGP as he is under pressure from Yediyurappa not to allow me to meet my party legislators or deliver my campaign letter to them," Singh said.

Terming the developments as "power game" the BJP has scripted in the country, Singh said it was "conceived, authored and executed" by the party under Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"You people call it as operation lotus, it is nothing but operation money bag. There are huge sums of money, it happened in Karnataka in the past," alleged Singh.

Singh also alleged that the Madhya Pradesh BJP leaders, under investigation on charges of corruption in several scams like Vyapam and e-tendering, do not want the 15-month-old Congress government to continue.

"The money is given (for operation) by Shah, chartered flights and hotels bill are being paid by his party (BJP) and contractors who benefitted from the scams," Singh thundered.

Source: IANS

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Bengaluru, March 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The rebel Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs are unlikely to go to Bhopal for the floor test which the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Assembly Speaker to conduct on Friday, a source said here.

"As the apex court gave the 22 rebels an option to attend the special session or not, they are unlikely to return to Bhopal, as their contention is they have already resigned from their Assembly segments on March 11, but the Speaker did not accept them so far," the Congress source told IANS on condition of anonymity.

Directing Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati to hold a special session for the floor test on Friday by 5 p.m., the apex court division bench, headed by Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta, directed the Karnataka police chief to provide security to the 16 rebel MLAs if they choose to attend the Assembly for the trust vote.

Of the 22 rebels, 16 of them filed a joint petition on March 17, seeking the top court's direction to the Speaker for accepting their resignations as he did in the case of six of them on March 14, a day after Governor Lalji Tandon dropped them as ministers from the beleaguered Kamal Nath government on March 13.

"If the rebels don't attend the special session defying the party whip, they will face disqualification under the anti-defection law, as they are considered to be legislators till the Speaker accepts their resignations," the source pointed out.

The rebels, who have been staying at a resort in the city's northern suburb since March 9, remain incommunicado with their party leaders, including Digvijaya Singh, who was prevented from meeting them on Wednesday by the police, as they were unwilling to meet him.

"We are seeing a replay of the Karnataka act being enacted in Madhya Pradesh if the party's rebels abstain from the Assembly to skip the floor test to ensure the 15-month-old Congress government falls for want of numbers," noted the source.

The 13-month-old Janata Dal-Secular and Congress coalition government in the southern state collapsed on July 23, 2019 after its Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy lost the trust-vote as 14 Congress and three JD-S MLAs resigned and abstained from the Assembly by staying away in Mumbai.

"Though the apex court directed the Speaker to convene the special session for the floor test by 5 p.m. on Friday, he may seek more time in view of the coronavirus scare and the central government's guidelines to avoid gathering of people in large numbers in public places and his own reason to put off the budget session till March 26 on the opening day (March 16) after the Governor's address," added the source.

Source: IANS

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Bengaluru, March 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Sixteen Madhya Pradesh rebel Congress legislators are waiting for the Supreme Court order on their joint petition before they plan their next move, a source said on Thursday.

"The 16 rebels have sought a direction from the Supreme Court to Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker N.P. Prajapati to accept their resignations from their Assembly segments," the source told IANS on condition of anonymity.

Though a total of 22 rebel MLAs have resigned, the Speaker on March 14, only accepted the letters of six, who were also ministers.

They were taken off their posts by Governor Lalji Tandon on the recommendation of beleaguered Chief Minister Kamal Nath on March 10.

"The remaining 16 rebels have petitioned the apex court that the Speaker has not acted on their resignations yet though they submitted in the required format in Hindi and sent through an emissary, as they have been staying at a resort in the Karnataka city's northern outskirts since March 9 of their own will," the source pointed out.

The rebels, who owe allegiance to their leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who joined the BJP on March 11 after quitting the Congress on March 10, refused to not only withdraw their resignations, but also declined to meet the state's senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday.

"The rebels' contention is they would not budge from their decision to resign as they felt let down by Nath and the party leadership. They will fly to Bhopal to meet the Speaker if the apex court directs them to do so," the source noted.

The rebels also clarified that they would not vote in the March 26 by-elections for 3 Rajya Sabha seats from Madhya Pradesh as they have already resigned as legislators.

The top court's Division Bench, headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justice Hemant Gupta have, however, refused to meet the rebels.

"The rebels have mentioned in their joint petition that they resigned voluntarily as the development of their assembly segments were ignored by Kamal Nath," the source said, quoting one of the rebels.

The rebels also clarified to the top court that they were not held captive by anybody or any party and had flew to Bengaluru on March 9 on their own wish and have been staying at the resort voluntarily.

"The rebels' lawyer (Maninder Singh) submitted before the court on Wednesday that it was wrong to allege that they were kidnapped and coerced to go to Bengaluru as they resigned on their own free will," the source recalled.

Source: IANS

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Bengaluru, March 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) After a daylong high drama and bravado, senior Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Digvijaya Singh didn't go on fast as the Karnataka High Court, here on Wednesday, declined to permit him to meet the 22 Congress rebel legislators, staying at a resort, here.

"Singh has retired for rest at a hotel along with some party leaders, Ministers and legislators who flew with him from Bhopal earlier in the day to meet the rebels. He also deferred hunger strike plan," a party source told IANS.

Singh, 73, a two-time Chief Minister (1993-2003), had petitioned the high court for a direction to the state police to facilitate his meeting with the rebels, as a sitting candidate in the March 26 Rajya Sabha elections and seek their votes for re-election.

Justice R. Devadas rejected Singh's interim prayer as the Supreme Court was seized of the matter and the rebels wrote to the state police chief that they were not interested in meeting him.

"The setback from the high court and refusal of the rebels forced Singh to defer the hunger strike as the city is lock-down due to coronavirus outbreak and ban on public events," said the source.

When Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) Praveen Sood and Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao refused to permit the MP leader to enter the resort, Singh said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state was holding the rebels captive.

In separate videos, accessed by IANS, most rebels said they didn't want to meet anybody, including Singh, as they came to Bengaluru over a week ago (March 11) on their own and were staying at the resort voluntarily.

The rebels, in a joint letter to the state police chief, asked not to allow Singh to enter the resort and sought security. "We have come here voluntarily. We came to know that a few leaders from MP, including Singh, a few Ministers and some MLAs have come. We don't want to talk to anybody," rebel MLA Adal Singh Kansana said in a video message.

Accusing the BJP of luring the rebels with money and muscle power, Singh said the BJP was trying to overthrow a democratically elected government in MP as it did in Karnataka in July 2019.

"Our party MLAs are held hostage by the ruling BJP with the help of the state police at the behest of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa," Singh said.

Resignation of 14 Congress and 3 Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) legislators led to fall of the 14-month coalition government in Karnataka on July 23, 2019 after Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy lost the trust vote in Assembly.

Though 21 rebel MLAs resigned from Assembly last week, Speaker N.P. Prajapathi accepted the resignations of only six, who were also Ministers in the 15-month-old Nath government.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) The preliminary round of the Rajya Sabha election on March 26 seemed be fought on the streets of Bhopal and Bengaluru on Wednesday with Congress candidate Digvijaya Singh and nine Cabinet ministers from the state being rounded up by police in the Karnataka capital.

For all the optics, Digvijaya and Co could draw no success from their visit to Bengaluru to meet Madhya Pradesh's rebel Congress MLAs.

Beleaguered Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath whose government is gasping for breath, dropped his visit to Bengaluru while his party activists fought a pitched battle with BJP counterparts at Bhopal.

Pushing and shoving between the two sides ensued when Congress supporters were on their way to 'gherao' the state BJP office to protest the BJP's alleged move to hold captive rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh in a Bengaluru resort.

Police had put up barricades to hold back Congress protesters, but they broke through and began marching towards the BJP office while holding banners and party flags. The marchers came face to face with BJP supporters on the way, leading to an ugly confrontation.

"The Congress supporters hit me with a baton. The BJP will teach Congress a lesson," said BJP leader Rahul Kothari.

In a related action Madhya Pradesh unit of BJP complained to the Chief Election Commissioner against former Digvijaya Singh for trying to cause undue pressure on the 16 rebel Congress MLAs.

Singh who had gone along with nine members of the state Cabinet to meet the 16 rebel MLAs holed up in a Bengaluru resort. The BJP that has been 'guarding' these MLAs claims that Singh is unduly pressurising them to meet the MLAs who do not want to meet him and his party colleagues. The BJP complained that the Congress leaders staged a dharna to create a law and order situation for the local administration.

The BJP's letter signed by Shantilal Lodha, the election agent of the BJP candidate Sumer Singh Solanki, says since Singh is a candidate for the election his conduct amounts to violation of the model code of conduct. The letter urged the EC to take action against Singh and nine others so that the elections are conducted peacefully in democratic manner.

Besides, election authorities in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, the letter copies have been marked to Karnataka Chief Minister and police chief "for necessary action please".

The others named for action include Jaywardhan Singh (minister and Digvijaya Singh's son), Sajjan Singh Verma, Jitu Patwari, Umang Singhar, Tarun Bhanot, Lakhan Ghanghoria, Lakhan Singh Yadav, Sachin Yadav and Harsh Yadav.

In another setback to the Congress, Karnataka High Court rejected Digvijaya Singh's plea seeking directions to the police to allow him to meet the "detained" rebel MLAs.

The Congress, on the other hand, wrote to Governor Lalji Tandon to use his constitutional authority to get the 'captive' MLAs released. The party said the Chief Minister has already made the request to him earlier in this regard.

Digvijaya Singh as a candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat is entitled to meet the MLAs, said the letter. But the police have not allowed him to use his right.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) Amid the crisis over the 16-month-old Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other party leaders spent time playing cricket.

Chouhan along with Madhya Pradesh BJP chief V.D. Sharma and other party MLAs played cricket at the Grace resort in Sehore. Chouhan and Sharma batted and bowled in the resort to spend the time. The BJP has demanded a floor test for the Congress government in the state following the resignation by 22 rebel MLAs.

The Speaker has accepted the resignation of six ministers. The 22 Congress MLAs owing allegiance to Gwalior royal Jyotiraditya Scindia had resigned after he quit the party and joined the BJP on March 10, on Holi. The BJP has earlier moved its MLAs to Haryana's Gurugram to avoid reverse poaching, while the Congress rebel MLAs were shifted to a hotel in Karnataka's Bengaluru.

Earlier in the day, even as Chief Minister Kamal Nath was seen busy trying to ensure his government's survival, a scuffle between activists of the ruling party and opposition BJP was reported in Bhopal.

In the morning, Congress leader and former MP Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh was detained in Bengaluru when he went there to meet the rebel MLAs lodged there in a resort.

Source: IANS

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Bengaluru, March 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday rejected senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's plea for directions to state police to allow him to meet rebel party legislators from Madhya Pradesh staying at a city resort, a source said.

"The High Court rejected Singh's interim prayer for directions to Bengaluru police to allow him to meet 22 rebel lawmakers at the resort and adjourned the case to March 26," the source told IANS on the condition of anonymity.

The former Chief Minister has been renominated as Congress candidate from Madhya Pradesh in the March 26 Rajya Sabha elections.

"As the party's candidate for the March 26 Rajya Sabha elections, I have every right to meet my party's legislators to seek their vote in my favour. Unfortunately, the local police and the ruling BJP in the southern state are not allowing me to meet them," the Congress leader said in his writ petition which was heard by Justice R Devdas.

"As the police did not allow Digvijaya Singh to meet his party MLAs at the resort in Yelahanka, he had approached the High Court for permission to meet them," a party official told IANS earlier.

Earlier, Digvijaya Singh met Karnataka Director General of Police Praveed Sood along with party's Karnataka unit President D.K. Shivakumar, some Madhya Pradesh Cabinet ministers and legislators and complained to him that he was denied entry into the resort to meet the rebels.

Though all 22 rebel Congress legislators have resigned from their Assembly seats, Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati has accepted the resignations of only six who were Ministers in the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government.

Digvijaya Singh, who took a chartered flight to Karnataka from Bhopal, was taken into preventive custody near the resort. State police, providing security to rebel MLAs as sought by them, whisked away the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and his aides to the area police station.

The rebel lawmakers have, however, refused to meet Singh and requested police not allow him and his supporters inside the Ramada resort to interact with them.

The rebels, owing allegiance to Gwalior erstwhile royal family's scion Jyotiraditya Scindia, who joined the BJP on March 11 after resigning from the Congress on March 1, said they were not held captive by anybody and were staying at the resort of their own volition.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, March 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) Even as the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, led by Chief Minister Kamal Nath, is busy to ensure its survival, a scuffle between activists of the ruling party and opposition BJP was reported on Wednesday from the state capital.

The pushing and shoving between the two sides ensued when Congress supporters were on way to gherao the state BJP office in Arera Colony opposite Habibganj railway station in Bhopal to protest against the BJP's alleged move to hold captive rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh in a Bengaluru resort.

Police had put up barricades to hold back Congress protesters but they broke through and began marching towards the BJP office while holding banners and party flags. The marchers came face to face with BJP supporters on the way, leading to an ugly situation.

"The Congress supporters hit me with a baton. The BJP will teach Congress a lesson," claimed BJP leader Rahul Kothari.

On Wednesday morning, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh was detained in Bengaluru when he went to the Karnataka capital to meet the rebel MLAs lodged there.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, March 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) In the latest twist to the constantly unfolding political drama in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has complained to the Election Commission (EC) against senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, accusing him of trying to influence the outcome of the Rajya Sabha polls due to be held on March 26.

On Wednesday, the BJP wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), that the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister is trying to contact the 16 rebel Congress MLAs holed up in a Bengaluru resort for the last 10 days.

In his written complaint to the CEC on Wednesday, the BJP's Rajya Sabha candidate Sumersingh Solanki's election agent alleged that the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, who is contesting the Rajya Sabha elections, is trying to contact the rebel Congress party MLAs in a bid to influence the outcome of the polls.

Digvijaya Singh had reached the Karnataka capital Bengaluru on Tuesday and tried to meet the 16 rebel Congress MLAS, but was prevented from doing so by the Karnataka Police.

The rebel Congress MLAs have been staying at a Bengaluru resort, in BJP's 'safekeeping', after they came out in support of Jyotiraditya Scindia who quit the Congress and joined the BJP on March 10. Ever since, the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh has been facing uncertainty.

Source: IANS

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