Use your power for release of Congress MLAs: Kamal Nath to Amit Shah

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Saturday wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to ensure the “release” of 22 Congress MLA allegedly held captive in Bengaluru.

The BJP has held these MLAs captive, Mr Nath alleged in the four-page letter.

“Please use your power as Union home minister so that 22 Congress MLAs held captive can safely reach Madhya Pradesh and participate in the Assembly session beginning from March 16, without any allurement and fear,” the letter, shared by Congress spokesperson with the media, said.

Twenty-two Madhya Pradesh MLAs, supporters of Jyotiraditya Scindia who left the Congress to join the BJP, have resigned, reducing the Kamal Nath-led government to minority in the Assembly.

In his letter, Nath said that the Congress government in the state will provide excellent security to these 22 MLAs, if they are “released”.

Nath said that BSP MLA Rambai and his family members were freed from the “captivity” of BJP leaders in Haryana’s Gurugram earlier this month.

On March 9, 19 MLAs were taken to Bengaluru by BJP leaders by three charter planes, Nath claimed.

The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister alleged that the “personal communication facilities” (mobile phones) of the MLAs have been taken away and they are held captive in Bengaluru, he alleged.

“This is an unprecedented situation because on the one hand the BJP is holding them captive and on the other hand it is demanding a floor test,” Nath said, adding that a trust vote has no meaning in this situation.

Earlier in the day, MP BJP delegation had called on the governor and demanded floor test before the beginning of the budget session on March 16.