The Congress has sought disqualification of six ministers who tendered their resignations in petitions filed before Madhya Pradesh Speaker NP Prajapati.
Congress leader JP Dhanopiya has submitted six separate pleas to the Speaker, seeking disqualification of rebel ministers Mahendra Singh Sisodiya, Imarti Devi, Tulsi Silawat, Prabhuram Chaudhary, Govind Singh Rajput and Pradumn Singh Tomar.
At least 22 Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs, including six state Cabinet ministers, had resigned from the party in a bid to topple the Kamal Nath government. The mass resignations were part of a revolt by senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia against the party. Scindia, who was at the loggerheads with CM Nath, has since joined the BJP and these legislators are said to be his loyalists.
The MP Assembly Speaker has not accepted the resignations and said that he will summon the rebel MLAs who have sent their resignations. The Congress, however, has not sought disqualification of the remaining 16 lawmakers, who deserted the party to be with Scindia.
Following Scindia's revolt, another Congress-ruled state is staring at the collapse of its government. Although there were reports that most of the MLAs who tendered their resignations were not aware of Scindia's move to join BJP and that they were willing to return to the Congress fold.
However, the dissenting MLAs released videos in solidarity with Scindia, who was among the closest allies of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and said that they will stay with "Maharaj".
Who are the rebel Congress MLAs?
These legislators include ministers in Kamal Nath Cabinet Tulsi Silawat, Govind Singh Rajput, Dr Prabhuram Choudhry, Imarti Devi, Pradyumna Singh Tomar and Mahendra Singh Sisodia.
The other Scindia loyalists who resigned are - Suresh Dhakad, Jaswant Jatav, Santram Sironia, Munnalal Goyal, Ranveer Singh Jatav, OPS Bhadoria, Kamlesh Jatav, Giriraj Dandotiya, Raghuraj Kansana, Aidalsingh Kansana, Biasahulal Singh, Hardeep Singh Dang, Rajyavardhan Singh, Brajendra Singh Yadav, Jaspal Jajji.
The Congress has a thin majority of just four above the required numbers in Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. If the resignations of the 22 MLAs are accepted, the 15-month old Kamal Nath government will be reduced to a minority, even as Chief Minister Kamal Nath claims to have the numbers.
