Six Nath govt backing MLAs' stance fogs political scene

The news of 10 Madhya Pradesh MLAs, being held hostage to destabilise the Kamal Nath government, has created a stir. It's being alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) offered Rs 25-35 crore to the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and Independent MLAs each, who were backing the Congress government.

Accusing the BJP of conspiring to topple the Nath government, former MP Chief Minister Digvijay Singh alleged that the MLAs had been taken to Delhi and later shifted to a hotel in Haryana.

However, BSP legislator Ram Bai was "freed" by Jayavardhan Singh, Digvijay Singh's son, and Jeetu Patwari, a Minister, he said.

Meanwhile, statements of some of the legislators "shocked" the Congress as none of them directly accused the BJP of any foul-play.

On Wednesday, of the six MLAs, brought to Delhi from Bhopal in a chartered plane, Sanjeev Singh Kushwaha (BSP) said no BJP leader had contacted him. He also denied that the Congress leaders had "freed" him.

Ram Bai, suspended BSP MLA also denied contacts with the BJP and travelling to Delhi in a chartered plane with them. She said her daughter was not well and she had booked a flight ticket for travelling to Delhi a week ago.

Rejecting the news that she travelled to Delhi with a BJP leader, Ram Bai said as a former BJP Minister was also in the same plane they greeted each other and nothing more. She also rejected reports of misbehaviour with her at hotel as "untrue".

Surendra Singh Shera, an Independent MLA, has also denied being in touch with the BJP leaders. He is in Bengaluru these days and said to be taken there by the BJP. Shera, however, said he came to Bengaluru with his family for his daughter's treatment.

On horse-trading speculations, Shera said, "I am with the government, but the government needs to be asked if it's with me."

According to Patwari, former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan is behind this entire drama, and the Congress MLAs were in regular in touch with him. IANS