MP: Congress says ministers who went to meet rebel MLAs assaulted\, threatens to move court

MP: Congress says ministers who went to meet rebel MLAs assaulted, threatens to move court

In a press conference, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh and state minister P C Sharma said the two ministers, Jitu Patwari and Lakhan Singh, were assaulted as they went to meet the MLAs who are being held "captive" by the BJP.

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Published: March 12, 2020 6:27:07 pm
Madhya Pradesh crisis, Madhya Pradesh MLAs, MP political crisis, Jyotiraditya Scindia, MP MLAs in Bangalore 19 Congress MLAs, including six state ministers, from Madhya Pradesh, have also tendered their resignation. (Express photo)

The Madhya Pradesh Congress Thursday alleged that two of its ministers who had gone to Bengaluru to meet the 19 rebel MLAs were allegedly assaulted by police. Alleging that the MLAs were being held “captive” by the BJP, the party threatened to move court if they were not released.

Addressing a press conference, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh and state minister PC Sharma said two ministers, Jitu Patwari and Lakhan Singh, were assaulted when they went to meet the MLAs, who had resigned from the Assembly on Tuesday.

“If the police do not take action and release our ministers and MLAs, we will have to take it to the court,” the leaders said.

Sharma said that Patwari, who is a relative of rebel MLA Manoj Choudhary, went to meet him in Bengaluru along with the latter’s father. “When they reached there, they were assaulted and were reportedly taken into preventive custody,” Sharma claimed.

The Congress also shared a video of the alleged assault, where Patwari can be seen getting into a scuffle with a police officer.

“Nineteen Congress MLAs are in their (BJP’s) captivity. The family members (of MLAs) are unable to talk to them. Their phones were taken away. It is also strange that the resignation of Congress MLAs were submitted to the Speaker by BJP leader Bhupendra Singh,” Digvijaya Singh said.

“Now, they (BJP) are expecting that their resignations should be accepted,” the Congress leader said.

On Tuesday, 22 rebel Congress MLAs, including six ministers, tendered their resignation from the Assembly after Jyotiraditya Scindia quit Congress.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati issued notices to the 22 Congress MLAs, asking them to appear before him by Friday and clarify whether they have quit voluntarily or under pressure.

The BJP, meanwhile, has said it would seek a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly on March 16. Congress said it was ready to face a floor test only after a decision on the resignations of the 22 MLAs.

(With PTI inputs)