Madhya Pradesh crisis | Kamal Nath resigns ahead of floor test; BJP set to form government
The HinduEnding 18 days of political drama, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Friday afternoon submitted his resignation to Governor Lalji Tandon, ahead of the Supreme Court-mandated floor test. “I will continue to struggle along with each member of the Congress family in people’s interest.” Mr. Tandon accepted his resignation and asked Mr. Nath to continue as caretaker Chief Minister, Raj Bhavan sources said. Speaking to reporters later after Mr. Nath’s resignation, former Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan, who is the front runner for the top post again, said the Congress-led government had fallen under its own weight. Those around Mr. Nath, including Congress MP Digvijaya Singh, created such a situation that the government fell, Mr. Chouhan said, adding: “They must introspect.” Other BJP leaders in the running for chief minister are party chief whip Narottam Mishra as well as Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar from Gwalior, and Thawar Chand Gehlot from Nagda, a prominent face for the party from the Scheduled Castes. Claiming that the BJP was worried that the State was moving ahead in a new direction, Mr. Nath said, “They feared our pro-people politics.