MP CM Kamal Nath (File photo)

NEW DELHI: The sudden ‘flight’ of Congress MLAs and the return of some of them to the party fold seems linked to a war of nerves with BJP over the third seat in the Rajya Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh with the saffron camp looking to undercut the rival’s edge and roil the already tense factional equations in the Congress camp.

While Congress functionaries declared that the MLAs who had gone to Gurgaon had returned, there was a degree of uncertainty over four who were reported to be in Bengaluru. The skirmish, BJP sources said, was related to the Rajya Sabha polls but the results could have a bearing on the government’s stability.

As of now, the crisis seems to have ebbed with Congress MLAs back in Bhopal. But the episode will give the Congress camp food for thought, as it might also impinge on the race for Rajya Sabha nominations with camp followers of senior members Digvijay Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia expecting a seat for the two.

While both BJP and Congress can win a seat each, they are short for the third one that is up for grabs. Congress needs two MLAs while BJP’s shortfall is greater at around seven. In the unfolding mind games, Congress sources exuded confidence that they could get four BJP MLAs to cross vote. But still, between the candidatures of Singh and Scindia, there could be a tussle on who would be fielded for the assured seat.

BJP state unit chief V D Sharma said BJP was not to blame for the upheavals in Congress which he said were linked to an internal tussle and chief minister Kamal Nath , Scindia and Singh could provide the answers. Party MP Ganesh Singh said, “Congress is not able to decide who to give the ticket — Digvijay Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.”

BJP sources were cautious is reading anything beyond the approaching Rajya Sabha elections, saying the situation was fluid with both sides shoring up defences and looking for vulnerabilities in the other side. As things stand, Congress seemed to have managed a rearguard action after being taken by surprise.

Senior Congress member Vivek Tankha pointed to resentments in MP Congress giving BJP an opportunity. “There is no communication with the high command or the low command. An independent state president should be appointed immediately which has not happened for a year. Congress workers are waiting for appointments in organisation and in corporations. They have to have a sense of belonging in their government,” he said.

In the 230-member assembly, Congress has 114 MLAs, followed by BJP with 107. The simple majority mark is 116. The Congress-led government has the support of four Independent MLAs, two Bahujan Samaj Party legislators and one of the Samajwadi Party .

