22 MLAs resigned on their own; no pressure, say 6 MP ministers

Six rebel ministers in Madhya

Pradesh, who resigned from the assembly in support of Jyotiraditya Scindia, have said that they have done so on their own accord and not under duress.

In separate video messages that are doing rounds in social media, these ministers also dismissed claims that they were in touch with the Kamal Nath government.

Nineteen Congress MLAs, including the six ministers, are in Bengaluru, while three others are in other places. All of them have resigned from the assembly in support of Scindia, pushing the Kamal Nath government in deep crisis.

A day after quitting the Congress, Scindia on Wednesday joined the BJP in New Delhi.

 

Separate video clips of these ministers- Tulsi Silawat, Govind Singh Rajput, Mahendra Singh Sisodia, Imarti Devi, Dr Prabhuram Choudhary and Pradyumna Singh Tomar- are being aired by TV channels.

The state government has claimed that the ministers from the Scindia camp were made to sign their resignation letters fraudulently and that they were in touch with it (government) from Bengaluru.

The video clips of the ministers went viral minutes after Scindia joined the BJP, which indicates that the revolt against the Kamal Nath government was meticulously planned.

In the video message, Health Minister Tulsi Silawat is heard saying, "All the 22 MLAs are united and have not come under duress but on their own. We are with our most revered Jyotiraditya Scindiaji and follow him. His decision was supreme for us."

Labour Minister Mahendra Singh Sisodia said in the clip, "Jyotiraditya Scindia has not indulged in betrayal. Rather the Congress and Kamal Nathji have betrayed him. With the hard labour put in by Scindiaji, Congress came to power in MP after 15 years."

"He and his people were neglected saying that the coffers were empty. In contrast, Rs 12,000 crore were put in Chhindwara constituency (of CM Kamal Nath). Are other MLAs and ministers worthless?" he asked.

Is this not neglect? Is this not the betrayal of people of MP? In the run-up to the assembly polls in November 2018, Congress had announced farm loan waiver in 10 days, which has not happened yet, he alleged in the video.

"People ask us about the loan waiver. What was going on in the Vyapam scam an admission and recruitment racket? We will go where Jyotiraditya Scindia goes. We are united. Days are not far when the Congress will be decimated in MP," he added.

School Education Minister Prabhuram Choudhary said in the video that all the 22 MLAs are united today and will remain so tomorrow.

"We have resigned willingly," he added.

Transport Minister Govind Singh Rajput, Women and Child Development Minister Imarti Devi and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Pradyumna Singh Tomar have echoed the unconditional support to Scindia.