The BJP’s Madhya Pradesh party in-charge, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, says the Congress must introspect on why it could not retain a leader of Jyotiraditya Scindia’s stature
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath met Governor Lalji Tandon today and has accused the BJP of keeping 21 Congress MLAs under duress. How do you react to that charge?
It is childish to say the least. No political party can really keep MLAs, adult grown-ups, under lock and key.
It is obvious that all of them owe their allegiance to Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, and since Mr. Scindia had deserted the Congress, the rest of the MLAs followed suit. It is as clear as that. Where is the question of spiriting them away?
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What about a floor test for the Madhya Pradesh government?
Whichever way, the Chief Minister cannot escape a test of strength in any scenario. For example, if the Governor asks for a test of strength, he cannot avoid it.
Even if the Governor does not ask him, the Opposition can move some motion that will ensure that the government is a lameduck government. It doesn’t have the requisite majority in the House. Either way, the government will have to face a test of strength and if they are so confident of their numbers as they are stating, if not the government should resign.
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The Congress has been making a charge on moral grounds that whenever the BJP is denied an electoral majority, it engineers one.
There is absolutely no question of engineering a majority, at least in this case. Everybody knows the standing of Jyotiraditya Scindia in the Congress; he is not just a leader of Madhya Pradesh but he has a national stature as well.
Unfortunately, the Congress, for its own reasons, could not keep him in good humour and he also saw that it was purposeless to remain in the Congress — all issues that the Congress had to address.
If the Congress-led government falls, who will be the BJP’s Chief Minister?
In politics and especially when things are in such a flux, it is a gradual unfolding of scenarios.
Therefore, everything will be taken care of in due course of time. I wouldn’t want to comment on this issue because it may, unnecessarily, create a misunderstanding one way or the other.
I asked this question because it’s being said that instead of former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the choice may fall on Union Minister Narendra Tomar.
Which is why I said there is a progressive unfolding, let things mature and everyone will come to know in due course.
