Updated 31 October 2020 at 16:20 IST
Kamal Nath slams BJP ahead of bypolls, says 'question is by how many votes they will lose'
Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath hit out at the BJP, warning that they would get a 'befitting reply' by the citizens of the state in the upcoming elections.
Ahead of the Madhya Pradesh by-polls, former Chief Minister Kamal Nath hit out at the BJP, warning that they would get a 'befitting reply' by the citizens of the state in the upcoming elections. "This government was made with buying and selling. The people will give them a befitting reply. The question is not that they will lose but with how many votes will they lose," he said.
"I have seen many polls before in the state and in the country. I know what the situation of a party is when it is losing. One is when they are losing and the other is when they are getting a battering. When they get a battering, they make use of the police and administration. They use alcohol and money power. I believe in the voters of the state, I know that they will make the future of the state secure," he said.
Speaking on the Election Commission's (EC) decision to revoke his 'star campaigner' status, Kamal Nath said, "Star Pracharak is not a major post. I don't want to comment anything on the EC. The people, in the end, are on the top. I will speak after November 10."
On October 26, the EC ruled that Kamal Nath had violated its advisory by describing BJP's Imarti Devi as an "item". Thereafter, the EC revoked Nath's 'star campaigner' status citing repeated violations of Model Code of Conduct. The EC stated that if any campaign is done by Kamal Nath from now onwards, the entire expenditure will be borne by the candidate in whose constituency campaign is being undertaken. Apart from this case, Kamal Nath also faces FIRs in Gwalior, Datia for violating COVID-19 SOPs in a rally.
Madhya Pradesh crisis & bypolls
The crisis in the Kamal Nath government started when Congress blamed the BJP of poaching 4 MLAs - two of which returned to Kamal Nath's folds later. Soon, 22 MLAs including 6 cabinet ministers - loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia - quit the party, reducing the Congress to a minority government with 92 MLAs. Following this, Scindia resigned from Congress and joined the BJP. After Nath stepped down as CM and the Madhya Pradesh Speaker accepted all 22 MLAs' resignation, all of them promptly joined BJP. Three more Congress MLAs have joined BJP since then - vacating 27 seats in the Assembly. 28 seats are up for polls now as BJP holds majority with 107 MLAs and Congress holds 88 seats in the 230-member assembly.
(With Agency Inputs)
Published By : Ananya Varma
Published On: 31 October 2020 at 16:20 IST