MP crisis: Jyotiraditya Scindia is our leader, will always stay with him, say rebel Congress MLAs

Bengaluru: A group of rebel Congress MLAs, who had tendered resignation after Jyotiraditya Scindia left the party and later joined BJP, on Tuesday (March 17, 2020) said that Scindia is their leader and they will always stay with him. Addressing a press conference at a resort in Bengaluru, one of the rebel Congress MLAs Imarti Devi said, “Jyotiraditya Scindia is our leader. He taught us a lot. I'll always stay with him even if I had to jump in a well.’’ 

Another rebel Congress MLA, Govind Singh Rajput, alleged that Chief Minister Kamal Nath never heard them “even for 15 minutes.”  “Then whom should we talk to for development work in our constituency?” he added. 

The rebel Congress MLAs also demanded protection, saying that they were not safe in their home state MP. 

"After becoming a minister, we haven't been able to work in peace. We are not safe. If Jyotiraditya Scindia can be targeted, then we can also be targeted. We need protection. The MLAs who are in Jaipur, they too are unhappy," Rajput while addressing a presser at a Bengaluru resort. 

‘’The Madhya Pradesh government was formed with the leadership of both Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia. When Kamal Nath was told that people are going to streets, he said 'let them get down to the streets'. All who have come here have come willingly," said rebel Congress MLA Tulsi Silawat.   

"We will discuss about joining BJP only when we return to Madhya Pradesh. We have told court too that when resignations of six people got accepted then why not of all 16 rebel MLAs," Tulsi Silawat, a rebel Congress MLA, said while addressing the press briefing on his turn. 

Amid the ongoing political crisis in Madhya Pradesh after the exit of Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Congress party, the floor test to decide the fate of the Chief Minister Kamal Nath-led Congress government is likely to be held on Tuesday as per the directions of Governor Lalji Tandon. 

Earlier on Monday, Tandon had written a letter to Chief Minister Kamal Nath directing him to conduct the floor test on March 17 after the state Assembly was adjourned till March 26 by Speaker NP Prajapati, in view of coronavirus. 

The Governor`s directions came after a BJP MLA delegation led by former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Governor following the adjournment of Assembly. "Conduct the floor test on 17th March otherwise it will be considered that you actually don`t have the majority in the state assembly," Tandon had stated. 

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will also hear the petition filed by BJP seeking an immediate floor test in Madhya Pradesh Assembly. A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Dr DY Chandrachud and Justice Hemant Gupta will hear the plea filed by the former chief minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who sought urgent direction from the apex court to the Speaker to conduct a floor test as the latter had postponed it to March 26.