Resort demolishment act of vengeance by MP government: BJP MLA Sanjay Pathak

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Sanjay Pathak, whose resort in Bandhavgarh was demolished on Saturday by the local administration over alleged encroachment, termed the move as "an act of vengeance" and said there has been continuous pressure on him to join the Congress.

Pathak's resort in Bandhavgarh was demolished by the administration after he was given notice for alleged land encroachment.

"This is an act of vengeance by the government. There is a lot of pressure on me. I am being asked to quit BJP and join Congress. If I do not do so, such actions will be taken against me and my family members," Pathak said.

He said there was a threat to his life. "I will die but will never quit BJP," he said.

The BJP leader had on Friday alleged that an attempt was made on Thursday to abduct him.

"I have not met Chief Minister Kamal Nath. Last night, an attempt was made to abduct me. I just hope that in this political game, I am not abducted and killed. A lot of pressure is being put on me. I will always remain in BJP," Pathak had said and had dismissed reports of him joining Congress.

Pathak, a three-time MLA from Vijayraghavgarh constituency, alleged that the Kamal Nath-led government was involving him in MLA poaching row.

Pathak was a Congress MLA from 2008 to 2014. He joined the BJP in 2014 and was appointed a minister of state in 2016 in then Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's Cabinet.