It's all about numbers in Madhya Pradesh now

The Congress Legislative Party held a meeting in Bhopal on Tuesday which was attended by 94 MLAs while 20 MLAs did not turn up for the meet, as per sources.

The numbers game seems to be tilting towards the BJP, which has 107 MLAs in the House which has a current strength of 228.

But if the 20 MLAs resign and their resignations are accepted, the strength of the House would come down to 208 with 104 as the majority mark, something the BJP already has. There are two BJP MLAs who have openly revolted against the party, whose number could go down to 105.

The Congress has to manage at least 11 MLAs, if 20 MLAs defect the party, to defeat the BJP on the floor of the House.

The Samajwadi Party has 1 MLA, the Bahujan Samaj Party 2 and there are 4 Independents.

So the Congress is banking on more BJP MLAs to defect the party besides luring its own MLAs back into the party with ministerial posts.

The BJP has to manage its own flock and see that the Congress MLAs in Bengaluru do not go back to their parent party.

Congress leader Shobha Oza said that "many MLAs have been misguided."

Chief Minister Kamal Nath in his last ditch effort is reportedly sending his ministers to Bengaluru to meet the rebel MLAs. IANS