Madhya Pradesh Saga: BJP Confident, But Congress Not To Throw In Towel; 10 Key Takeaways

Amid political uncertainty, both the parties, the Congress and the BJP have decided to guard their flock ahead of the crucial coming test of strength in Madhya Pradesh.

On Tuesday morning, as much of India was celebrating Holi, Congress' prominent youth leader Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the party and in a coordinated rebellion 22 MLAs loyal to him resigned in Madhya Pradesh. (PTI)

New Delhi: On Tuesday morning, as much of India was celebrating Holi, Congress' prominent youth leader Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the party and in a coordinated rebellion 22 MLAs loyal to him resigned in Madhya Pradesh. This came as a major setback for the grand-old party, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh to the brink of collapse. Amid political uncertainty, both the parties, the Congress and the BJP have decided to guard their flock ahead of the crucial coming test of strength in Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, however, has exuded confidence that his government will complete its term. Also Watch | Jyotiraditya Scindia resigns and MP politics takes a 360-degree turn 

Here's the top developments in the saga so far-

1) Congress strongman from Madhya Pradesh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, severed his nearly two-decade-long association with the party, now sank the Kamal Nath-led 15-month-old MP government into a deep crisis. 2) Once considered a rising star of the Congress, Scindia met senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah, following which he called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence on Tuesday, and later he resigned from Congress. 3) Scindia, 49, appeared set to join the BJP, a party which had his late grandmother Vijaya Raje Scindia as one of the leading lights amid speculation he will get a Rajya Sabha ticket and be made a union minister. 4) According to sources, Scindia and other Congress MLAs, who tendered their resignation, are likely to join the BJP on Wednesday. 5) Meanwhile, the Congress Legislative Party held a meeting in Bhopal on Tuesday which was attended by 94 MLAs while 20 MLAs did not turn up for the meet, as per sources. 6) The ruling party then decided to send former minister Sajjan Singh Verma to Bengaluru to see if all those kept there had resigned on their own volition or were coerced into quitting the party. It is another matter whether Verma would be allowed to meet them. 7) The BJP legislative party met in a celebratory mood, but no decision was taken in the meeting. 8) Earlier, reports had suggested that former MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan would be handed the leadership of the party in place of Gopal Bhargava. The decision seems to have been deferred and Chouhan has been asked to be in Delhi at the earliest. He is likely to be in Delhi on Wednesday. 9) Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath exuded confidence that his government will complete its term. "There is nothing to worry about. We will prove our majority. Our government will complete its term," Chief Minister Nath told reporters. Watch | Kamal Nath BREAKS HIS SILENCE over Jyotiraditya Scindia's resignation 10) However, the numbers game seems to be tilting towards the BJP, which has 107 MLAs in the House which has a current strength of 228. Total strength of the Assembly: 230 (-2) = 228 Resignations so far: 22 Strength on possible acceptance of resignations: 206 Majority mark: 104 BJP: 107 Congress: 92 + BSP 2 + SP 1 + Independents 4 = 99 With Congress's clout being substantially reduced, it has very slim chance of pulling it off hereabouts. (With inputs from agencies)