In setback for Cong, Scindia resigns from party, looks as BJP as MP govt teeters on edge

In a massive setback for the Congress, its prominent youth leader Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the party and appeared set to join BJP Tuesday amid a rebellion in Madhya Pradesh by his supporters, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government to the brink of collapse.

A shell-shocked Congress, in a largely symbolic move of no consequence, expelled Scindia, the party general secretary and scion of the erstwhile Gwalior royal family, on charges of anti-party activities.

On Tuesday morning, as much of India was celebrating Holi, Scindia met senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah, following which he called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence.

There was no official word on what transpired at the meetings. However, BJP sources asserted that the decision of the party's top two leaders to hold long deliberations with Scindia underlined the importance they attach to him.

In the resignation letter dated March 9 to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Scindia said "it is now time for me to move on" as he was unable to serve the people of the country while remaining in the party.

The Congress party said his letter was received at Sonia Gandhi's residence only at 12.20 pm on Tuesday.

With Scindia quitting the party, the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh appeared headed for a collapse as the former Guna MP has the support of at least 17 legislators.

The Congress has a wafer-thin majority in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly whose current effective strength is 228. If the resignations of the 17 MLAs is accepted, the strength of the Assembly will fall to 211. The magic number for retaining the majority then will be 106. The Congress, however, will be left with 97 seats while the BJP has 104 seats. The Congress has the support of four Independents, two BSP and one SP MLA, but is unclear if they will continue to support Congress or go with BJP
Soon thereafter, a statement from AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said the Congress president has "approved the expulsion of Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Indian National Congress with immediate effect for anti-party activities."