Amid political drama in MP, BJP MLA fears for his life
Amid trading of charges of horse-trading by the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP here, a lawmaker of the saffron outfit on Friday denied reports that appeared in a section of the media that he had met Chief Minister Kamal Nath late on Thursday night. He termed the reports a ‘conspiracy’ to destroy his political career.
The MLA, Mr Sanjay Pathak, a mining baronturned-politician, also said he feared a threat to his life. He did not identify the source of the threat. Mr Pathak released a video to “set the record straight”.
His clarification comes in the wake of reports appearing in the media that he visited Mr Nath’s official residence secretly. “I was in Hyderabad in connection with treatment of my ailing brother-in-law. The media falsely reported that I visited the Chief Minister’s residence late on Thursday. A conspiracy is being hatched to finish me off,” he is heard saying in the video clip.
The former minister also scoffed at rumours that he might quit the party, saying, “I am in the BJP and will be in the BJP.”
Amid volatile political climate triggered by the purported resignation of Congress MLA Hardeep Singh Dang on Thursday evening, the Congress and BJP have launched drives to keep their flocks together. The Congress denied that Mr Dang had resigned and said the resignation letter was a fake. Mr Dang is among four ruling party MLAs who have gone ‘missing’ three days ago and are believed to be in Bengaluru. He is yet to surface to clarify on his resignation.
Both Congress and BJP have been trying to contact their legislators to prevent poaching by the rivals. Sources in the both the parties conceded that they have asked their MLAs to present themselves before their respective leaderships in the state.
The Congress has a strength of 114 in the 230member MP Assembly, falling short of two members of the half-way mark. The Congress government is supported by two Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs, a Samajwadi Party legislator and four Independents. The BJP has 107 MLAs.