Digvijaya Singh requests Karnataka DGP to ensure communication with rebel MP Congress MLAs

Amid the political turmoil in Madhya Pradesh, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Thursday sought the intervention of Karnataka DGP Praveen Sood in contacting his party’s rebel MLAs holed up in Bengaluru. Republic TV accessed Singh’s letter where he mentioned that the DGP had assured him of his letters being delivered to the MLAs under his “personal supervision”. Thereafter, Singh stated that he had attached the letters to be sent to the dissident legislators. 

Read: Rebel MP MLAs Refuse To Meet Kamal Nath; Supreme Court Says They Cannot Be Coerced

Citing transparency as a requirement of a law-abiding society, he requested for the delivery of his letters to be videographed. According to Singh, this would ensure that the letters have reached the right persons. Moreover, he urged the Karnataka DGP to communicate the response of the MLAs to him at the earliest. This development comes after many Congress leaders including MP CM Kamal Nath alleged that the MLAs were in “captivity” of BJP leaders and had no access to personal communication devices.  

Read Digvijaya Singh's letter here:

Read: Kamal Nath Breaks Silence On Digvijaya's Bengaluru Drama & Detention; Says 'I'll Also Go'

Political crisis in MP

Scindia’s sudden resignation from the Congress party on March 10 was followed by 22 Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs putting in their papers. Even as Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati has accepted the resignation of 6 MLAs, Congress is making all possible attempts to woo back some of the dissident MLAs as the stability of its government is in serious threat. On March 11, Scindia officially joined BJP in the presence of party president JP Nadda and was nominated as the party's Rajya Sabha candidate. 

On March 14, a BJP delegation met Lalji Tandon and sought the Assembly session to be convened before March 16 so that a floor test could be held. This was followed by the MP CM seeking Union Home Minister Amit Shah's intervention in the safe return of the Congress MLAs allegedly held captive in Bengaluru. Finally, the Governor directed the Speaker to conduct a floor test on March 16, the first day of the budget session.

However, the Speaker adjourned the Assembly till March 26 in view of the novel coronavirus crisis without conducting the floor test. Subsequently, BJP leaders including Shivraj Singh Chouhan moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction for the floor test to be expedited. The apex court commenced hearing the case on March 18. Meanwhile, the MP Congress also approached the apex court accusing BJP of kidnapping its MLAs and sought their release from "captivity". 

Read: SC Suggests Meeting Of Madhya Pradesh Speaker With Rebel MLAs Through Video Conferencing

Read: Digvijaya Singh Castigates Scindia Over MP Crisis, Moves Karnataka HC To Meet Rebel MLAs