MP by-polls: Kamal Nath alleges horse-trading; says 'BJP trying to buy what they can get'

On Monday, Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath took a jibe at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over horse-trading and alleged that the party has gone to the market again to buy what they can get. His comment came in the backdrop of Congress MLA Rahul Lodhi joining BJP on Sunday. Additionally, a total of 22 Congress MLAs had resigned from the state Assembly in March this year, paving the way for BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan to take over as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister for the fourth time.

Addressing a press conference, the Congress leader said that he got calls from many MLAs who said that BJP is calling them and making offers.

"BJP has got clarity about the results of this election (Madhya Pradesh by-polls) are going to be on November 10. They are so afraid that they have started running again to the market to buy what they can get. I have received calls from many MLAs that BJP is calling them and making offers," he said.

The Congress leader said that in the month of March, he had rejected the "politics of bargain". "I have written a letter to the Election Commission today that these elections should be fair," he said.

READ: 'No one will support you in your selfish politics': MP CM Shivraj lashes out at Kamal Nath

Congress' Rahul Lodhi Dumps Party & Joins BJP 

On Sunday, Lodhi tendered his resignation to Protem Speaker Rameshwar Sharma and joined BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan. Taking a jibe at the Congress, Lodhi said that all the public welfare schemes have been put to a halt in Damoh.

"I have worked with Congress for around 14 months but I couldn't work for the development. All the public welfare schemes have been put to a halt in Damoh. Today I have joined BJP willingly. I am sure that Damoh will touch great heights," said Lodhi.

READ: SC stays MP HC order asking political parties to conduct virtual campaign for by-poll

Madhya Pradesh crisis & bypolls

The crisis in the Kamal Nath government started when Congress alleged BJP of poaching 4 MLAs - two of which returned to Kamal Nath's folds. 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 then 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.

READ: Baghel slams CM Chouhan for toppling Congress Govt in MP, calls it an insult to mandate

READ: Congress' Rahul Lodhi dumps party & joins BJP ahead of Madhya Pradesh by-polls