Two BJP MLAs support Cong-led govt in during voting on bill

In a major blow to the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, two of its MLAs Narayan Tripathi and Sharad Kol on Wednesday voted in favour of the Congress government during voting on a bill in the Assembly.

Tripathi and Kol, both former Congressmen, said they supported the seven-month-old Kamal Nath-led government, which enjoys a slender majority in the house, as they wanted to develop their respective assembly constituency.

During the division of votes on the Criminal Law (Madhya Pradesh Amendment) Bill 2019, a total of 122 MLAs voted in favour of the Congress government, which assumed office in December last year.

In the 230-member house, the ruling Congress has the support of 121 MLAs, including Speaker N P Prajapati, who did not take part in the voting.

Besides the 120 MLAs of the Congress and its allies, two BJP MLAs also supported the bill.

Later, talking to reporters, Tripathi (elected from Maihar) and Kol (Beohari) said they extended support to the Nath government because they want to develop their constituencies.

The BJP MLAs said this was their "ghar wapsi" (homecoming).

Reacting to the voting, Chief Minister Kamal Nath said, "The BJP says daily that we are a minority government and one which could fall any day."