BENGALURU: While they haven’t decided whether they will join the Bharatiya Janata Party as their ‘leader’ Jyotiraditya Scindia did, rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh are all set to fight bypolls, which will be inevitable once they lose their Assembly membership. For the first time since they landed in Bengaluru, rebel Congress legislators from Madhya Pradesh made a public appearance and spoke to the media.
The MLAs had earlier recorded their messages and shared them via WhatsApp. But on Tuesday, in a show of unity, all 22 rebel legislators held a press conference at the resort they are lodged at in Bengaluru. They unequivocally pledged their support to former Congress and now BJP candidate for Rajya Sabha election Jyotiraditya Scindia.
“We haven’t been kidnapped or held hostage. I am in Bengaluru voluntarily. I have my phone with me and have been in touch with my family. We are disappointed with the way we have been treated by the Kamal Nath government. He shooed us away when we wanted his help,” said Raghuraj Singh Kansana, Morena MLA.The show of unity came on the day the Supreme Court heard the BJP’s petition seeking immediate floor test in the MP Assembly. “The ministers in Madhya Pradesh don’t have time to meet MLAs, but have time for middlemen and corrupt people. I have been a legislator since 2008 and for the last 10 years, I sat in opposition. I promised my people development in Dabra if our party came to power. But when our party did come to power, not a single project I assured my people was given importance, while crores of rupees were allocated to Chhindwara,” said an agitated Imarti Devi, a former minister in the Nath cabinet.
Even as they pledged their support to Scindia, they did not clarify whether they would join the BJP. “I am a second-term MLA from Bhind, which is known for valour. People from Bhind can’t be made hostages. We are angry with the government and there is no question of us withdrawing our resignations. All of us will unitedly decide whether to join BJP,” said Ranvir Jatav, MLA.
Even as they lambasted the Kamal Nath government, the MLAs said they were ready to face elections in their constituencies and insisted that their resignations be accepted. “Kamal Nath isn’t listening to Rahul Gandhi. He can’t encourage nepotism in administration. This is a matter of our self-respect and our constituencies. We will do what is good for our people as we are servants of the people,” said Rajvardhan Singh.
Not allowed to meet the Congress central leadership, not finding an audience with the CM, not being accommodated in the cabinet, not getting funds for their constituencies and, most importantly, ignoring Scindia’s contributions were the reasons for the rebellion, they said.
The MLAs said they will return to Madhya Pradesh after being assured of adequate security by central forces since they do not trust the police under Kamal Nath’s chief ministership. With the assembly adjourned till March 26, the MLAs, who are said to be hosted by Karnataka BJP general secretary and Mahadevapura MLA Arvind Limbavali, are likely to continue their stay in Bengaluru. After shifting two resorts in the city, the MLAs are lodged at a resort in Yelahanka where Karnataka BJP MLAs too were put up during the floor test of the previous coalition government.