Kamal Nath has represented Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat nine times since 1980

Congress lawmaker from the Chhindwara seat in Madhya Pradesh, Deepak Saxena resigned on Wednesday, clearing the way for Chief Minister Kamal Nath to contest the by-election from this assembly seat.

As per the rules, Mr Nath, who took oath as the chief minister of the Madhya Pradesh on December 17 last year, has to get elected to the Assembly within six months.

"I have resigned as MLA from Chhindwara to make way for Nathji to fight the bypoll," Mr Saxena, a loyalist of Mr Nath, told news agency PTI.

"I tendered by resignation to the state assembly Speaker today," he added.

Kamal Nath, the nine-time MP from Chhindwara, was earlier thinking of contesting the by-election from Sausar in Chhindwara district, his aide said on the condition of anonymity.

However, the chief minister changed his mind and decided to fight from Chhindwara as he thought that if he contests from Sausar, a little known assembly seat in his district, the BJP may run a campaign to defame him saying that he was running away from his home turf, he added.

Kamal Nath has represented Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat nine times since 1980, except once.

In the state elections held in November, the Congress had won all the seven assembly constituencies in Chhindwara district.