The BJP on Wednesday denied the charge that it was trying to destabilise the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, amidst the allegation that the saffron party has taken some MLAs to a hotel in Haryana.
Terming the charge as "unfortunate", Madhya Pradesh BJP chief V D Sharma alleged that the Congress-led dispensation in the state was a "blackmail" government.
His remarks came after Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Minister Jitu Patwari told PTI that some BJP leaders have allegedly taken eight MLAs from the state to a hotel in Haryana as part of a conspiracy to topple the Kamal Nath government.
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"The allegations are very unfortunate. The BJP has nothing to do with it. The BJP is making no such effort," Sharma told reporters, when asked about Congress' allegation of attempts to destabilise the state government.
Sharma said this is the Congress' "internal tussle" and the answer should come from Chief Minister Kamal Nath and senior party leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh.
"The BJP has nothing to do with the entire episode… This is a blackmail government. This is a ragtag government," he added.
Patwari alleged that senior BJP leaders, including former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former ministers Narottam Mishra, Bhupendra Singh and Rampal Singh among others, have forcibly taken eight MLAs to a hotel in Haryana as part of a conspiracy.
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"We are trying to bring them back. Four of them have come back also but they have forcibly taken away tribal MLA Bisahulal Singh," he said.
Before Patwari's allegation against the BJP, Digvijaya Singh claimed that a senior leader of the saffron party has taken a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator to Delhi in a chartered flight.
He alleged that "poaching" attempts were being made by the BJP on Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh.
The BJP, however, dismissed the former chief minister's charge, saying his statement was aimed at ensuring his re-nomination for the Rajya Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh scheduled on March 26.
Digvijaya Singh alleged his party MLAs were being offered huge amounts of money by BJP leaders as part of the saffron party's "poaching" attempts to destabilise the Kamal Nath government.
Congress has alleged that the BJP is offering huge money to a tune of Rs 24 to 30 crore to the MLAs
Digvijaya left for Bhopal and will meet Chief Minister Kamal Nath to discuss the future strategy after some MLAs went missing. Before leaving for Bhopal Digvijaya said, “there’s no risk to the government as there is no need to worry. All the MLAs will come back.”
Hitting back, Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused the Congress veteran of making false statements and engaging in sensationalism.
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In the 228-member Assembly in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress has 114 seats and formed the government with the help of two BSP, one Samajwadi Party and four independent legislators. Two seats are currently vacant after the death of the respective MLAs. The BJP has 107 seats.
(With PTI Inputs)
