Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath quits hours before trust vote, BJP likely to form govt

Bhopal: Over 15 months after he took over as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath resigned from the top post on Friday.

The decision was announced at a press conference in Bhopal on Friday, hours before the Supreme Court-ordered trust vote set to take place.

On Thursday, the apex court asked Kamal Nath to prove his majority on the floor of the House before 5pm on Friday.

With the numbers stacked heavily against him, Kamal Nath decided to resign 'graciously' without moving the confidence motion.

The state had plunged into political crisis early this month when Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the party and joined bitter rivals Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This was followed by the resignation of 22 Congress MLAs from the party.

This has reduced Congress' numbers to 92. The majority mark is 104. (The actual assembly strength is 230. Two seats are lying vacant. With the resignation of 22 MLAs, the House strength was reduced 206. Hence the half-way mark is 104).

The BSP has two members while the SP has one besides four independents. All these MLAs had extended their support to the Congress during the formation of the government in 2018.

In the renewed situation, these MLAs are yet to clarify their stand.

BJP has 107 members in the assembly. However, it could parade only 106 members before the governor on Monday.

On Friday morning, the speaker said that he has accepted the resignation of BJP MLA Sharad Kol (Beohari).

But, Kol said that he had applied for withdrawing the resignation submitted earlier. This has further reduced the number of BJP MLAs to 106, but well above the majority mark in current strength.

BJP is likely to stake its claim to form the government soon, and senior party leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan is tipped to become the chief minister.

In his resignation letter, Nath said, "In my 40-year- long public life, I have always done politics of purity and valued democratic norms and given priority to it. But what transpired in the last two weeks is a new chapter of devaluation of democratic values."

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

Before submitting his resignation, Nath addressed a press conference, where he announced his resignation.

During the press conference, he also accused the BJP of killing the democratic values by conspiring against his government and blamed former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia for the current political crisis in the state.

"I have decided to submit my resignation to the governor. But I will continue to work for the welfare of the people...I did the politics of value," he said.

"I took over as the CM on December 17, 2018. During my political career, I have always believed in development. I was given an opportunity for a period of five years to give a new identity to the state," he said.

"The BJP didn't like the people-centric works carried out by my government during our 15-month rule, so they kept conspiring against me," he said.

Nath alleged that 22 Congress MLAs were held captive in Bengaluru by the BJP, which has been witnessed by the entire country.

"BJP killed the democratic values by conspiring," he said.

"I have proved my majority on the floor of the House several times during the past 15 years...but the BJP betrayed the people of state by destabilising the government," he said.

Nath mentioned the works carried out by his government during the last 15 months, including the farm loan waiver and development of cow shelters.

"BJP betrayed the farmers by conspiring against me," he said, claiming that 400 promises made in the election manifesto were completed in 15 months.

He said the BJP was afraid of the success of his government.

Blaming Scindia for the ongoing political crisis in the state, Nath said "BJP colluded with Maharaj (Scindia) for killing democracy and my government."

(With PTI inputs)