Cong MLAs joined us last year to save MP: State BJP chief

The 22 Congress MLAs who joinedthe BJP in March last year did so to save Madhya Pradesh whichwas being ruined by the Kamal Nath government in place atthe time, the latters state unit chief VD Sharma said onSaturday.The rebellion by 22 MLAs, many of them loyalists ofCongressman-turned Rajya Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, led tothe fall of the Nath government.The Congress leaders got wedded to the saffronculture and joined the BJP.

The 22 Congress MLAs who joinedthe BJP in March last year did so to save Madhya Pradesh whichwas being ''ruined'' by the Kamal Nath government in place atthe time, the latter's state unit chief VD Sharma said onSaturday.

The rebellion by 22 MLAs, many of them loyalists ofCongressman-turned Rajya Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, led tothe fall of the Nath government.

''The Congress leaders got wedded to the saffronculture and joined the BJP. They did so to save MP. During 15months of Congress rule, the state was ruined,'' Sharma toldreporters on the sidelines of his party's two-day trainingsession here.

He said these legislators joined the BJP after beingswayed by the public-centric welfare programmes of the party'sgovernments in the state under Chief Minister Shivraj SinghChouhan.

He said the public had endorsed these leaders, who hadto face bypolls after quitting the MP Assembly, by voting forthem.

Speaking at the two-day training session, Unionminister Narendra Tomar asked legislators to ask their ownquestions in the Assembly rather than those given to them byothers as ''vested interests'' may be involved which could leadto embarrassment for the party, one of those who attendedclaimed.

Tomar asked those attending the camp to stay in touchwith the public of their constituencies and give importance toparty workers whose hard work was at the centre of poll wins,the functionary added.

The BJP's West Bengal in charge and senior MP BJPleader Kailash Vijaywargiya also addressed legislators on thelast day of the training session.