BHOPAL: Hectic political developments are set to unfold in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal on Wednesday, as not only the opposition Congress, but the ruling BJP also is likely to meet Governor Anandiben Patel for staking claim to form the new government in the central Indian state.
While the state Congress president Kamal Nath has already sent a written request to the Raj Bhawan, seeking appointment to stake a claim for forming the next government, his BJP counterpart Rakesh Singh tweeted on Tuesday-Wednesday intervening night that party leaders will meet Governor Anandiben Patel.
“Pradesh mein Congress ko janadesh nahi hai. Kai nirdaleeya aur anya BJP ke sampark mein hain. Kal Rajyapal mahodaya se milenge (The public mandate is not in Congress’s favour, many independents and others are in touch with us. We’ll meet the Governor later in the day),” tweeted MP BJP president Rakesh Singh.
The state BJP chief tweeted after a crucial meeting of top BJP leaders at the CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s residence, which was attended among others by national BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who as per sources has been tasked by central party leadership with arranging the numbers to reach the majority mark of 116 in the 230 member Vidhan Sabha.
Importantly, three of the four independents, who have won the polls are from Malwa-Nimar region, which is Vijayvargiya’s stronghold.
Importantly, as per the Election Commission of India (ECI) official website at around 2.30 am, the Congress had won/leading on 114 seats (two short of the majority mark of 116), while the BJP was five seats behind on 109. The Samajwadi Party had won a seat, while the BSP had won/leading on two seats, besides four independents too had either won their seats. Counting was still underway on ten seats till filing of this news report at 3 am.
The four independents who won their seats, included Kedar Dawar (Bhagwanpura), Pradeep Jaiswal (Waraseoni), Rana Vikram Singh (Susner) and Surendra Singh ‘Shera Bhaiya’ (Burhanpur). All of them are Congress rebels who had contested as independents on being denied ticket by Congress.
According to sources close to MP Congress chief Kamal Nath, one of the independents Kedar Dawar (Bhagwanpura-Khargone) has already been contacted by Nath. Dawar is reaching Bhopal on Wednesday to meet Nath.
Earlier, on late Tuesday night, the state Congress chief sent a written request to Raj Bhawan, seeking an appointment with the Governor for staking a claim for forming a government as the leader of the single largest party which has the assured support of winner independents also.
The Raj Bhawan, however, is yet to give time to Congress party leaders.
Till the filing of this news report, top Congress leaders had gone into a huddle at the state party headquarters in Bhopal.