No threat, says Kamal Nath after MLA meet

New Delhi: Amid talk of instability after its poor show in Lok Sabha polls, the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh got a breather when ruling party MLAs, along with those of the BSP, the SP and the Independents supporting the government from outside, unequivocally supported the chief minister during a meeting held in Bhopal.

The legislators’ meeting on Sunday that gave Mr Nath a fresh mandate was the first after the disastrous performance of the Congress in the parliamentary elections in which it won only one of the 29 seats in the state.

Asserting that there is no threat to his five-month-old government, Mr Nath said, “Let the floor test takes place. We are ready for it.”

Asked about the Congress’ poor performance in Lok Sabha elections, Mr Nath said, “During the brief period that we got, we are unable to apprise people about the number of welfare schemes implemented for them.”

In the meeting on Sunday, two BSP MLAs, one SP lawmaker and four Independents also pledged support to the Congress-led government. Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh was also present in the meeting which confirmed that the Nath government enjoys the backing of 121 MLAs in the 230-member Assembly.

In last year’s Assembly elections, the Congress won 114 seats and the BJP came a close second with 109 legislators. Two short of the majority mark of 116, the Congress took support of the BSP and the SP in the House.

Sources said there were some unhappy voices at the meeting. Some legislators asked Mr Nath to accept the BJP’s challenge and take a floor test. A few leaders complained about poor representation of Scheduled Tribe MLAs in the Cabinet.

A section of Congress MLAs raised the issue of Lok Sabha poll losses caused due to the induction of BJP rebels in Gwalior and Chambal areas. Mr Nath offered to hold a separate meeting over the issue, sources said.

The BJP had recently asked governor Anandiben Patel to call for a floor test of the Congress-led government.

Mr Nath had accused the BJP of offering up to Rs 25 crore each to his MLAs to switch sides and bring down his government.