Resignation, Homecoming & Counter Allegations: No Let-up in MP Political Drama as Crisis Deepens

Bhopal: A day after six Madhya Pradesh MLAs, who were allegedly whisked away from the state, returned to Bhopal and another legislator claimed he was in Bengaluru for personal work, there was no relief from political mudslinging as members of the ruling and opposition camps continued to level allegations at each other.

Congress legislator Hardeep Singh Dang resigned from the post of member of Assembly on Thursday. His resignation letter is yet to be received by the secretariat.

Three other MLAs – Congress’ Bisahulal Singh and Raghuraj Kansana and Independent lawmaker Thakur Surendra Singh — are also yet to be traced.

The Congress had earlier claimed they have been confined at a hotel in Bengaluru. A missing campaign in relation to Bisahulal Singh was registered at the TT Nagar police station in Bhopal.

In a late-night development, Director General of Police VK Singh was removed from his post and appointed as director of sports and youth welfare department.

It’s widely believed that VK Singh, who was already in trouble due to a tussle with the IAS lobby, was removed over an intelligence failure about the 10 ruling camp MLAs being taken out the state.

Singh was replaced by senior IPS officer Vivek Johri, a 1984-batch IPS officer who was appointed as Director General of the BSF in August last year.

Earlier in the day, state higher education minister Jitu Patwari, who led a team of senior party leaders to bring back some MLAs from a hotel in Haryana on Thursday, had said Chief Minister Kamal Nath was in regular touch with the lawmakers and the Congress leadership and the legislators have collectively exposed the BJP.

Patwari, however, denied claims that the MLAs had been abducted, as have been alleged by a number of Congress leaders.

Patwari, who wished former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on his birthday, said he would pray that God showers the senior BJP leader with ‘sadbuddhi’ (wisdom).

“Each person has a Ram and Ravan within himself and I request Shivraj ji to become Ram,” Patwari said, slamming Chouhan for trying to buy MLAs of the ruling camp.

Patwari said the four MLAs, who have remained untraceable since Wednesday night, will return soon and the Congress will win two Rajya Sabha seats.

Earlier in the day, Minister Lakhan Singh Yadav hinted that the state cabinet may shortly witness an expansion.

Meanwhile, Congress Digvijaya Singh said five BJP leaders, including Chouhan and Narottam Mishra, were responsible for the entire episode and said horse-trading is a habit of members of the saffron camp.

As the Congress threatened to take legal action against Mishra, he dared the party to go ahead. He said the episode was manufactured by Singh to hold on to his Rajya Sabha seat.

Denying Congress’ buyout claims, Mishra said that as a senior politician, he is in touch with most MLAs, including 15-20 legislators from the ruling camp.

BJP state head VD Sharma said the Congress was making false claims and sought an apology from Digvijaya Singh for defaming the saffron party.

Thakur Surendra Singh said he was in Bengaluru with his family and had received no offer from anyone. When informed that Digvijaya Singh has been claiming that a few MLAs are being offered money by the BJP, he said the Congress veteran should add his name to the list of recipients. However, he did not specify when he would be back in MP.