Non-Congress MLAs may pose risk to MP government

The internal bickering in the Madhya Pradesh Congress has the potential of signalling a power crisis for the party's Kamal Nath-led government which is agonizingly short of 2 legislators to enjoy an absolute majority (116) in the 230-member Assembly.

The Congress-led alliance is backed by 7 non-Congress legislators -- 2 from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 1 from the Samajwadi Party and 4 Independents.

However, ever since they began expressing displeasure with the government, the BJP has been eyeing the MLAs to boost its chances of regaining power in the state.

The saffron party has 108 seats, and it is looking to take the tally up to 115.

Of the 230 seats, one is vacant where a by-poll would be held in the coming days.

Kamal Nath's government faces a 'threat' from the non-Congress legislators as according to sources, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to woo them.

Some statements of Independent legislator Surendra Singh Shera, BSP's Rambai and Samajwadi Party's Rajesh Shukla have also dropped hints about their exasperation with the government.

BJP sources said if the non-Congress MLAs join hands with them, their current tally (108) would swell to 115 -- pipping the Congress (114), as one of the seats in the 230-member assembly is vacant.

The non-Congress legislators are currently confused over the internal war in the party that has pitted one leader against another, and formed respective 'camps' loyal to their 'leaders'.

The crisis in the Congress party has taken the shape of a full-fledged war between the Jyotiraditya Scindia faction and the rest.

Senior party leader Digvijaya Singh, who has been trying to run both the party and government from the backseat, is facing the ire of not just the Scindia supporters but of some loyalists of Chief Minister Kamal Nath too.

Chief Minister Kamal Nath has held the PCC chief's post for more than 16 months now while the Scindia camp wants their leader to be handed the reins.

The CM wants his loyalist, Home Minister Bala Bachchan, a tribal leader as state chief.

Nath had resigned from the state party chief's post after the Congress debacle in the Lok Sabha elections, but he has been asked to continue till a replacement is found. IANS