Kamal Nath seeks PM's intervention to stop BJP from poaching' Congress MLAs

In an unusual move, former chief minister Kamal Nath has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to stop BJP from poaching Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh.

The move by Nath comes in the wake of desertion of Congress by several party MLAs in recent times.

As many as 25 Congress MLAs in MP have so far resigned from the assembly as well as the party and joined BJP, causing tremor in the grand old party here.

Twenty two Congress MLAs had resigned from assembly and subsequently from the party in March this year causing the fall of 15-month-old Kamal Nath government.

They later joined BJP along with former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Three more Congress MLAs have quit the party and joined BJP in the last ten days.

Strength of Congress in MP assembly has reduced to 89 following desertion of 25 party MLAs.

Nath had convened a meeting of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) a few days ago to take an oath from each member to remain in the party.

A day later, however, another party MLA resigned from Congress and joined BJP.

Nath in his letter written to the PM on Thursday said the manner in which the Congress MLAs were being wooed by BJP to join the party has posed a serious threat to democracy.

BJP however took a jibe at Mr Nath for seeking PM’s intervention to stop Congress MLAs from joining the saffron party.

“It appears Nath has lost his faith in Rahul Gandhi to keep the Congress united”, BJP spokesman here Hitesh Vajpayee said.