BHOPAL: The continuous flight of legislators from the Congress has become a major problem for the party.
Party’s law-maker from Damoh Rahul Lodhi’s defection to the BJP has sent the Congress rattling.
When the Congress was in power, the party took pride in saying that many BJP legislators are in touch with the then chief minister Kamal Nath.
Former ministers PC Sharma, Sajjan Singh Singh Verma and Jitu Patwari claimed that many BJP legislators would be seen in the Congress camp.
Now that many Congress legislators have switched over to the BJP, the party is fumbling about in the dark for a way out to do damage control.
The game that the Congress played in July 2019 has begun to weigh heavy on it.
On July 24 last year, two BJP legislators, Narayan Tripathi and Sharad Kol voted on a bill in favour of the then ruling party.
And then the Congress celebrated the occasion. At that time, Nath said both the legislators listened to their inner voice and supported the Congress.
Both the legislators spoke about the development of their constituencies. The legislators are, however, with the BJP.
When the Congress government was about to fall, Tripathi changed sides several times. Tripathi was seen with the Congress leaders at that time. The Congress leaders then called it as ‘Nath’s management’.
The game played by the Congress has turned into a boomerang and took its toll on the party.
The central leadership of the BJP was angry with the party’s state unit when the duo supported the Congress.
After that, defection from the Congress, which began in March this year, is still going on.
Rajya Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia along with 22 MLAs defected to the BJP. After the formation of the BJP government, four more Congress legislators resigned from the party.
The Congress has accused the BJP of doing ‘Saudebazi (politics of bargaining)’ but the ruling party leaders say it is Kamal Nath who taught them the politics of bargaining.
According to Medical Education Minister Vishwash Sarang, Nath bargained with the party high command and became the chief minister.
Although he is not from MP, he has fought elections from Chhindwara.
Nath has lost his cool because his plans have fallen through, Sarang said.
According to Congress media coordinator Narendra Saluja, as the BJP is close to defeat, it has begun to engineer defection in the Congress.
He said the Congress never offended the people’s verdict; whereas the BJP plays with voters’ sentiments.
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