Kamal Nath dubs Maharashtra developments as 'politics of bargaining'

Now they have done it in Maharashtra, he added.Asked about the Congress MLAs in Maharashtra, Nath said all the 44 Assembly members were with the party.I had spoken to 41 Congress MLAs in person and over the phone to 3, he said, referring to his recent visit to Mumbai after his party made him an observer to the adjoining state following the Shinde-led rebellion in the Shiv Sena.Shinde, who claims to have the support of nearly 40 Sena MLAs, has joined hands with the BJP to form a new government in Maharashtra.

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath on Thursday said “politics of bargaining” was being played out in Maharashtra, where Shiv Sena rebel leader Eknath Shinde has taken over as the new chief minister after raising a banner of revolt against his party that brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

Nath, a former CM of Madhya Pradesh, was sent to Mumbai as an AICC observer after crisis hit the Shiv Sena-led MVA government last week. The Congress was a part of the MVA government, which also included the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

''Yeh saudebaji ki rajniti hai' (This is politics of bargaining),” the Congress leader told reporters when asked about the latest political developments in Maharashtra.

Shinde was sworn-in as the new chief minister of Maharashtra and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis as deputy CM in Mumbai on Thursday evening.

Nath was here to drum up support for his party candidates in the civic body elections.

The Congress leader alleged the BJP has been destabilizing opposition-ruled states.

“They (BJP) started such things from Arunachal Pradesh (In December 2016, 33 MLAs out of 43 of Peoples' Party of Arunachal led by Prema Khandu joined BJP resulting in installation of saffron party government there helmed by Khandu).

''They attempted to bring down Jharkhand, Rajasthan governments (of opposition, including Congress) and what happened in Madhya Pradesh (Congress government led by Nath fell in March 2020 paving way for return of BJP in power after 15 months) you know. Now they have done it in Maharashtra,” he added.

Asked about the Congress MLAs in Maharashtra, Nath said all the 44 Assembly members were with the party.

“I had spoken to 41 (Congress) MLAs in person and over the phone to 3'', he said, referring to his recent visit to Mumbai after his party made him an observer to the adjoining state following the Shinde-led rebellion in the Shiv Sena.

Shinde, who claims to have the support of nearly 40 Sena MLAs, has joined hands with the BJP to form a new government in Maharashtra. PTI COR LAL RSY RSY