Shivraj takes responsibility, resigns
ELECTORAL DEFEAT Outgoing chief minister says BJP short of numbers, will play role of constructive opposition BHOPAL:
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Wednesday said he accepted ‘complete responsibility’ of the BJP’s defeat in the state polls.
The three-time CM, who tendered his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel earlier in the day, said the BJP will not stake claim to form government in the state.
“I have submitted my resignation. The complete responsibility of (BJP’s) defeat (in MP) is only mine,” Chouhan told reporters outside Raj Bhavan.
“Party workers worked hard, people also gave their love to us but we are short of numbers despite getting more votes. I have congratulated Kamal Nath ji (state Congress president),” PTI quoted him as saying.
The Congress emerged as the single largest party in the state by winning 114 seats, two short of a simple majority in the 230member Assembly.
The BJP, which ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats. However, it was ahead of the Congress in the vote share by a slender margin, bagging 41 % of the votes polled, while the Congress got 40.9 %.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bagged two seats, the Samajwadi Party (SP) got one and independents got four seats.
BSP supremo Mayawati and the Samajwadi Party Wednesday announced their support to the Congress to form government in MP.
Outgoing chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday also said that the BJP will now play the role of a “vigilant and constructive opposition”.
He said that he did his best to get Madhya Pradesh out of the “pathetic situation” after he took as chief minister 13 years ago and made every effort for the welfare of the people and development of the state. “Despite all the support from the central leadership and pro-people schemes of the Central and the state governments, we could not get the results to our expectations...,” he said.
Chouhan said the BJP would play the role of a “strong and responsible opposition”. “We will play a constructive role for the development of the state and if need be we will protest and act as a vigilant watchman. We are not those who will take rest after getting defeated. We will start working as opposition from today itself,” IANS quoted him as saying.
The BJP leader hoped that the new government would continue with the pro-people schemes and projects run by his government. He said that now it was the Congress’ turn to fulfil the poll promises it made to the people of the state in its ‘vachan patra’ (manifesto).
We are not those who will take rest after getting defeated. We will start working as opposition from today itself.
SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN, MP outgoing chief minister
Seeking to “keep the BJP out of power”, BSP chief Mayawati Wednesday said her party will extend support to the Congress to form the government in Madhya Pradesh and, if required, in Rajasthan too.
With the Congress managing a wafer-thin majority in Madhya Pradesh, she said the BJP is making efforts to return to power in the state.
“We fought elections to keep the BJP out of power ... We do not agree with the philosophy of the Congress. But to keep the BJP out of power, we will extend it our support,” she said in a statement.
The BSP president claimed that the electorate of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan was upset with the policies of the BJP governments at the Centre and in the three states and wanted to keep it out of power.
NEW DELHI: