Madhya Pradesh crisis: Jyotiraditya Scindia abandons Congress, set to join BJP

Making it worse for the Congress, shortly after Scindia's resignation, as many as 21 party MLAs on Tuesday resigned from Madhya Pradesh Assembly leading to an unprecedented political crisis in the state where Congress enjoys a wafer-thin majority now.

Following the move, the CM Kamal Nath-led government in MP is eyeing a collapse, another loss for the Congress after Karnataka.

Scindia, meanwhile, is speculated to join the BJP sometime this week.

According to reports, he is likely to be rewarded with Rajya Sabha seat and even a Cabinet ministry.

As per reports in media, the 21 MLAs are slated to join Bharatiya Janata Party as well.

The 21 MLAs include six ministers--Tulsi Silawat, Govind Singh Rajput, Dr Prabhuram Choudhry, Imarti Devi, Pradyumna Singh Tomar and Mahendra Singh Sisodia.

Other MLAs are Hardeep Singh Dang, Rajyavardhan Singh, Brajendra Singh Yadav, Jaspal Jajji, Suresh Dhakad, Jaswant Jatav, Santram Sironia, Munnalal Goyal, Ranveer Singh Jatav, OPS Bhadoria, Kamlesh Jatav, Giriraj Dandotiya, Raghuraj Kansana, Aidalsingh Kansana, Biasahulal Singh. 

If these resignations are accepted, the Kamal Nath-led government will be reduced to a minority and soon be toppled off the power.

However, Chief Minister Kamal Nath is confident that he will prove the majority and complete the full term of government.

Madhya Pradesh plunged into a political crisis after more than 17 Congress MLAs including six ministers, all loyals to former Guna MP Scindia, flew out to Bengaluru, Karnataka on Monday.

Scindia, once close to the Gandhis, tendered his resignation after holding a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday.

In the resignation letter, Scindia wrote, "Having been a primary member of the Congress party for last 18 years, it is now time for me to move on. I am tendering my resignation from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress and as you well know, this is a path that has been drawing itself out over the last year."

"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.

To reflect and realise the aspirations of my people and my workers I believe it is best that I now look ahead at a fresh start."

Following Scindia's dramatic move, the Congress too hit back by expelling him for 'anti-party activities.'

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi approved the expulsion of Scindia from the party with an immediate effect.

The crisis in the Madhya Pradesh politics started when Scindia lost his prospect of bagging the chief ministership to senior leader Kamal Nath in Dec 2018.

Despite playing a key role in Madhya Pradesh Assembly election he could not muster the support of enough MLAs for the CM's position.

Then Congress chief Rahul Gandhi managed the situation by naming Scindia general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh for last year's national election, along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

However, Scindia barely campaigned in the state and the party performed poorly in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh.

Scindia himself lost the election for the first time in his constituency Guna in Madhya Pradesh since 2002.

Since then, Madhya Pradesh witnessed a three-way split within the party as Kamal Nath, Jyotiraditya Scindia and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh had their visible differences.

In Nov last, Scindia hinted of dropping from the party by changing his Twitter bio's reference to the Congress party and calling himself a "public servant and cricket enthusiast."