Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Tuesday indicated that the opposition BJP was attempting to horse-trade in the state, saying that at least 10 Congress MLAs have informed that that they have been contacted by BJP with lure of money and post.
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Talking to media persons after a meeting with MLAs and ministers, Kamal Nath added that he had full confidence in the MLAs and that they would stand strong with the party. Nath’s statements come a day after reports that the BJP was seeking a majority test in the Assembly by requesting an early session. On Tuesday, however, the BJP state president Rakesh Singh ruled out any such attempt, saying that the leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava had merely written to governor for an early session and a jittery Congress had construed it as a call for floor test.
Two independent MLAs—Surendra Singh Thakur and Kedar Dabar—have issued statements in support of the government, though with rider that Kamal Nath has promised to make them ministers during the next cabinet expansion in the state. THE WEEK had already quoted Bhargava on Monday saying that the letter to governor was just about early session and not about the Congress government being in minority in the house.
Apart from holding a meeting with MLAs and ministers, Kamal Nath also held discussions with Lok Sabha candidates in the state on Tuesday and sought feedback from their respective constituencies, sources said.
Horse-trading allegations: Rs 50 crore offered?
Earlier in the day, the matter was broached by state minister Pradyumna Singh Tomar in Gwalior, when he alleged before a section of media that the BJP was offering as much as Rs 50 crore to some Congress MLAs.
Later, another minister P.C. Sharma told mediapersons that 25 BJP MLAs were in contact with the Congress, and were likely to switch camp after May 23, when the BJP failed to form government at the Centre. The chief spokesperson of BJP, Deepak Vijayvargiya, dismissed CM's statement as ‘illogical talks of people rattled by the exit poll results’. He said that as many as 50 senior MLAs of the Congress were unhappy with Kamal Nath due to partisan cabinet berth distribution and the CM knew that even if some of them decided to switch camp, his government would be in trouble. “These statements are just given to hide the nervousness,” he said.