New Delhi: Months of factional feud has culminated into nearly two dozens of Congress MLAs deserting the party and paving way for rival BJP to form government in Madhya Pradesh.
About 20-24 Congress MLAs, considered supporter of faction head Jyotiraditya Scindia had yesterday flown to Bangalore, the Karnataka capital where not long ago BJP had successfully toppled the Congress-JDS government.
The saffron BJP under Modi-Shah duo has in the past outwit Congress and formed its government in many states such as Goa and Arunachal Pradesh leaving the Congress fuming.
The success of operation “Kamal” in Madhya Pradesh would be a big win for the BJP which faced huge embarrassment in Maharashtra where it got its leader Devendra Fadnavis installed as state Chief Minister but could not save it as its ally Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress came together to form the government.
With no leader to spearhead the Grand Old Party, its President Rahul Gandhi last year resigned, Congress has been frequently witnessing dissent from its leaders.
In Rajasthan, the crisis has been looming ever since the party formed the government. Its new-generation leader Sachin Pilot who is the Deputy Chief Minister has not been on the same page on many issues with his boss and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
The recent developments in Madhya Pradesh are set to stoke factionalism in other states where it is vulnerable given BJP has been hawkish and always looking for opportunity to trample its turf. In July last year, 10 of its Goa MLAs had switched over to the BJP to become part of the treasury bench.
In the last few days, the chain of political events had suggested that the Congress government under Kamal Nath was wading through crisis.
In late night developments on March 3, reports surfaced that as many as five of MLAs who are part of the Kamal Nath government were camping in a Gurgaon hotel. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh blamed BJP for trying to lure the MLAs by offering money and positions. The BJP has, however, termed the developments in Congress as its internal matters.
But in the meantime, MP Congress leader and chief of faction Scindia has raised the banner of revolt and been in touch with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for a bloodless coup in Madhya Pradesh.
All the preparations seem to be in place for the overthrow. The state governor Lalji Tandon who was off to his home state for Holi has returned to Bhopal to ensure transition happens swiftly.