MP: Congress to Form Govt With support of BSP, SP, Independents, CM Chouhan Tenders Resignation

Bhopal: After 24 hours of suspense, it is clear that the Congress will be forming government in Madhya Pradesh, as Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), and four Independent MLAs have extended their support to the grand old party which brings the total to 121 seats.

The Congress delegation met with Madhya Pradesh governor at 12 noon on Wednesday to stake claim to form the government.

Extending its support to the Congress, BSP Chief Mayawati on Wednesday said, “To keep BJP out of power, we have agreed to support Congress in Madhya Pradesh, and if needed, in Rajasthan too, even though we don’t agree with many of their policies."

The BSP has managed to grab two seats in Madhya Pradesh, while the Congress has 114 seats in its kitty. The SP, which has one seat, had extended its support to the Congress on the counting day itself. Besides, there were four Independent MLAs have also extended their support to the Congress according to the party’s claim.

Soon after Mayawati’s declared BSP’s support for Congress, BJP’s Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced to tender his resignation to the governor. He said “We did not have majority, we will not stake claim to form the government, and I am going to tender my resignation.”

Taking lesson from Goa, Manipur and Meghalaya where the Congress failed to form the government despite securing the highest number of seats, Madhya Pradesh Congress Chief Kamal Nath wrote a letter to Governor Anandiben Patel at 2 am on December 12.

In the letter, he wrote, “According to the assembly result, the Congress has emerged as the biggest party and with the support of independent and other party’s MLAs we are able to form the government in the state.”

Congress leaders addressed the media at 2 am on November 12, and claimed to form the government in the state as they have the numbers to form the government.

With the BSP and the SP coming in, the Congress, which was two seats short of majority, has now 117 seats, while the majority mark in the 230-member state assembly is 116. In addition, the Congress has also claimed that it has the support of the four independents who have won the elections.

The Congress has called a meeting of its newly elected MLAs on Wednesday evening.

Total seats: 230

Congress – 114

BJP – 114

BSP – 2

SP – 1

Independent – 4

Congress – 114+2+1+4 = 121