Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath addressed the media on Friday at his residence in Bhopal, shortly after noon. In his speech, he listed out the achievements of the Congress party during his tenure from December 2018. He accused the BJP of trying to destabilise his government since.
A floor test was scheduled for Friday for Mr Nath's government to prove its majority in the Assembly, but before that could happen, the CM then announced his resignation.
Kamal Nath hands over resignation letter at Raj Bhavan
Kamal Nath has submitted his resignation to M.P. Governor Lalji Tandon at the Raj Bhavan.
In his letter, he wrote: "In the 40 years of my public life, I have always practiced politics of principles and given precdence to democratic values. Whatever has happened in the past two weeks, it is a new chapter in the devaluation of democratic values.
"I am giving my resignation from the post of the Chief Minister. In addition, my best wishes to the person who will be the new Chief Minister. My cooperation will be there with him at all times in the development of Madhya Pradesh."
Kamal Nath quits as Madhya Pradesh CM ahead of floor test
Excerpts from his press conference.
Kamal Nath : "On December 11, 2018, the Vidhan Sabha results were declared. Congress won the most seats. On 17th, I took oath as the CM.
"In the past 15 months, it was my attempt to transform the State. In my 40-45 years of political career, I have believed in progressive politics. The voters gave me five years to bring the State on the right path, for it to have a new identity.
"The BJP got 15 years. Until today, I got 15 months. Two and a half months went away in Lok Sabha election. The BJP couldn't digest my welfare schemes.
"Every 15th day, the BJP said this government won't last more than a month. From day 1, they scripted the conspiracy. Still, we worked. Today, they lured 22 MLAs and held them hostage in Bengaluru, that the country have watched.
They spent crores for lurement, the entire State is the witness. Also with Maharaj (Scindia), they scripted the conspiracy."
"The public won't forgive such people who betrayed them. Several times, in 15 months, we have proved majority in Vidhan Sabha on several occasions. We did it thrice. They couldn't accept it, and broke the trust of people of Madhya Pradesh.
"BJP was worried that State was moving in a new direction. They went on with their plan to destabilise my government.
"In 15 months, we relief farmers, loans of 20 lakh farmers were waived. In the interest of farmers, we have taken several decisions. BJP has attempted to betray the farmers. In 15 months, we tried to make the State mafia free, launched a drive. BJP didn't want this action against mafia.
"Mafia were nurtured in the bjp regime.
"I have decided to submit my resignation to the governor.
"The reason is that I have always done politics of principles and values, and never done dirty politics. In the 40 years of my political life, no one could raise a finger at me.
"I will continue to stick to my values. This is my strength. Each member of my Congress family, we will together fight the struggle together."
Kamal Nath is leaving for the Raj Bhavan where he will tender his resignation to Governor Lalji Tandon at 1 p.m.
Other excerpts from his press conference:
"Our attempt was to stop the spiralling unemployment among the youth. In the months, we also launched a drive against food adulteration - shudh ka yudh . We also took the step to build 1,000 gaushalas.
"One crore people benefited from the electricity subsidy. The BJP couldn't accept all this. To take the State to the international pedestal, we made efforts.
"We resolved to develop the Ram path in the State and the Sita mandir in Sri Lanka. The BJP couldn't accept it.
"For Adivasi, we tried to rid then of loans taken from moneylenders. We took the decision to set up 40 schools for them, got then land titles.
"In 15 months, we kept 400 poll promises. For the economically weaker sections, we provided them 10 percent reservation. we launched metro works in Bhopal and Indore. Again, BJP couldn't accept it.
"Investment comes from trust. We didn't organise a false industries meet, didn't make false announcements, but we made a beginning.
"BJP feared our pro-people policies. People know this truth. I worked day and night to transform the profile of the State.
In 15 months, on us there was no accusation of a scam or corruption. We will stay on the path of progress. We won't bow down. The faith of the State's people is with us. I hope the people's proof letter will be given to us. We don't want BJP's letter.
"BJP feared that we were creating a new identity for the State. They think that by defeating the State, they'll win. Neither can they win against the State, nor against me.
"In my political life, I have abides my certain values, which I'll continue to follow. The BJP thinks the conspiracy they have scripted, they'll succeed. This will never succeed.
"It's my resolve, that whether we have a post or not, for the youth, for the backward, for farmers, we'll continue working for them.
"After today, there is tomorrow. After tomorrow, there is day after tomorrow. The people is witness."
- Inputs from Sidharth Yadav in Bhopal
Madhya Pradesh Speaker accepts resignation of 16 rebel Congress MLAs
Late night on Thursday, Speaker N.P. Prajapati accepted the resignation of 16 rebel Congress MLAs who are staying in Bengaluru.
With this, the effective strength of the House comes down to 206. The Congress-led government will require the trust vote of 104 to survive. The development comes hours after the Supreme Court directed to hold a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly by 5 p.m. on Friday.
Supreme Court orders M.P. floor test on March 20
The Supreme Court on Thursday noted that the state of political uncertainty in Madhya Pradesh cannot continue and advanced the floor test to March 20.
A Bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta Gupta has thus advanced the date of the floor test by six days. The Speaker had scheduled the floor test on March 26. This means that the floor test would not wait for the Speaker's decision on the resignation of the 16 rebel MLAs.
Published - March 20, 2020 12:29 pm IST
