Madhya Pradesh: Kamal Nath out, Shivraj Singh Chouhan likely to return as CM

Curtain finally rung down on the 17-day-long political drama in Madhya Pradesh with former Chief Minister Kamal Nath announcing resignation at a press conference on Friday morning, a day after the Supreme Court had asked his government to undergo floor test in the wake of resignations of 22 Congress MLAs.

Also Read: Kamal Nath resigns as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister

Kamal Nath’s resignation has paved way for BJP to return to power and indications are that Shivraj Singh Chouhan could be back as chief minister for the fourth time. Chouhan is the frontrunner for the post, though the leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava said the high command will decide the name.

Instead of facing inevitable defeat in the state assembly, Nath chose to tender resignation to the Governor at 1.00 pm. Before that he addressed the media at the chief Minister residence where he petted his back for his 15-month-old government’s achievements and lambasted the BJP for buying his MLAs to topple the government.

In the 25-minute speech, the outgoing chief minister mentioned 20 of his government’s achievements and 16 times lamented that the BJP ‘did not like his work”.

Madhya Pradesh govt crisis Live: BJP plotted against us, the party cheated people of MP, says Kamal Nath

“People of Madhya Pradesh will never forgive the BJP for the conspiratorial manner in which it toppled a democratically-elected government enjoying majority with inducements and threats", he said.

Before Kamal Nath’s press meet, Speaker NP Prajapati announced accepting resignation of BJP MLA Sharad Kol. He had accepted the resignation of 16 rebel MLAs hours after the Supreme Court directed the floor test by 5.00 pm on Friday. Six ministers’ resignations had been accepted four days ago. Two seats were already vacant due to the death of a BJP and a Congress MLA each.

Thus, a total of 25 seats in the 230-strong state assembly has fallen vacant. The BJP has the support of 106 MLAs while Congress' strength has reduced to 92. Among six other MLAs are four independents, two BSP and one Samajwadi Party. The BJP needs to win at least 10 seats in the by elections to maintain the majority in the house.

Also Read: Democracy defeated by 'hotel diplomacy': Congress

Hailing the fall of the government, Jyotiraditya Scindia, the main architect of the defection said that Nath's resignation was a victory of the state’s people.

“Politics should be a means to serve the people but the state government had strayed from this path”, he tweeted.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted, ‘Truth has triumphed. The MP Congress hit back with tweet, “ BJP wins, people lose.”

Troubles for the KamalNath government began from March 3 when senior Congress leader accused the BJP of horse-trading. He alleged that Rs 25 to 35crore are being offered to MLAs to switch sides.

Also Read: People's victory in MP: Scindia on Nath's resignation

Four MLAs including an independent went missing the next day but the government’s crisis managers managed to bring them in the party fold and it looked like the threat has been overcome. However, before a wary Kamal Nath could heave a sigh of relief, 19 MLAs owing alliance to Jyotiraditya Scindia went incommunicado.

When they were traced in Bengaluru, Scindia resigned from Congress and joined BJP, a deepening crisis for the government.

For over a week since then, the political drama continued, marked by confrontation between the governor and the speaker over floor test, letters wars between the governor and the chief minister and Digvijay Singh’s dramatic detention In Bengaluru.

Finally, the Supreme Court intervened to defuse the crisis and brought the drama to its denouement which is reminiscent of the power-game Karnataka had witnessed a few months ago.