Yet another Congress MLA in Madhya Pradesh, Nepanagar legislator Sumitra Devi Kasdekar, resigned from the Vidhan Sabha on Friday continuing a string of exits that has rocked the party since March.

Assembly pro-tem Speaker Rameshwar Sharma accepted the resignation of the first-time legislator from Burhanpur district, said a Vidhan Sabha order, which further pulls down the Congress strength in the Assembly to 90. The BJP boasts a 107-member-strong band of legislators.

Hours later, she joined the BJP at the party office here in the presence of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and party State president V.D. Sharma. Welcoming her to the party fold, Mr. Chouhan said, “People are suffocating in the Congress. It is a sinking ship.”

On July 12, Congress MLA Kunwar Pradyumna Singh Lodhi joined the BJP within hours of resigning as a legislator. He was later appointed as Chairman of the State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. and accorded a Cabinet rank.

In March, 22 Congress MLAs, including 19 supporters of former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, resigned to bring down the 15-month-old Congress government. Currently, 26 Assembly seats lie unoccupied. Ms. Kasdekar didn’t respond to phone calls despite several attempts.

Accusing the BJP of attempting to lure Congress MLAs to cross over, State Congress spokesman Abhay Dubey said, “The BJP is aware the public perception is against them. It has betrayed the public, which knows about its tricks.”

‘Digvijaya to blame’

Denying the charge, BJP State media in-charge Lokendra Parashar accused Congress Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh of sabotaging his own party. “He is doing this as the State is not in his hands. Under pressure from Mr. Singh the decisions Kamal Nath is taking — of being the State Congress president and the Chief Minister in the past — and the way he has throttled democracy, will only yield such results,” Mr. Parashar said.