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Nath replaced as MP Leader of Oppn What preceded senior leader’s resignation
BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Congress chief and former chief minister Kamal Nath resigned from the post of the leader of opposition in the state assembly on Thursday. According to a party statement, he was replaced by seven-time MLA Govind Singh.
“This is to inform you that Hon’ble Congress President has accepted your resignation from the post of Leader, Congress Legislature Party, Madhya Pradesh with immediate effect,” said a letter signed by party general secretary K C Venugopal and addressed to Nath on Thursday.
Party functionaries familiar with the matter said Nath had sent his resignation earlier in the day. Venugopal’s letter further said: “Hon’ble Congress President has also approved the proposal to appoint Dr Govind Singh, as Leader of Congress Legislature Party, Madhya Pradesh.”
Nath held both the positions — state unit president and leader of opposition — for almost two years after he resigned as chief minister in 2018 following a rebellion by party MLAs.
“I am happy that the party senior leaders showed trust in me. I will continue my work of raising important issues in the assembly ,” said Singh.
The development came days after Nath stoked a controversy by terming assembly proceedings as “nonsense” when asked about his absence from the house.
NEW DELHI: Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath’s resignation as the leader of the opposition in the state assembly on Thursday comes on the heels of an incident last month. The assembly was in session and when chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan got up to speak, he is reported to have said: “I’m raising this issue, but the leader of the opposition is not here to listen to me”.
When reporters asked Nath for a response, he said, “Should I listen to him or should I be listening to the people of the state and workers?”
And so, two years after Nath stepped down from the chief minister’s post after losing majority in the House, he has given up his second post in the House, and will just stick to being state Congress chief.
“Elections are just 18 months away and I have work to do,” he said over the phone.
According to party functionaries familiar with the matter, Nath wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi two months ago seeking her approval to step down as the leader of the opposition in the house. Another former minister from Nath’s cabinet told HT that many other changes are expected in the state soon.
Nath’s resignation has prompted the question on whether the Congress will now insist on the “one-man-one-post” rule. While Nath has been in the state ever since the Congress won Madhya Pradesh in 2018, reports of him taking up a “larger role” at the party’s Centre keep emerging.