Cong attacks BJP for killing democracy

After the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh collapsed following the resignation of Kamal Nath from the Chief Minister's post on Friday, the Congress alleged that the 'hotel diplomacy' has won against the real democracy.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday termed the fall-out of Kamal Nath government in MP as a blatant killing of democracy.

Gehlot tweeted, "What we have witnessed today in #MadhyaPradesh is a blatant killing of Democracy in broad day light. Dismantling the democratically elected govt for the lust of power has become a habit for the BJP."

While Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi tweeted: "Today democracy defeated by hotel diplomacy."

Ahead of the floor test, the Congress could not muster a majority after an open rebellion by 22 Congress MLAs, including six ministers.

The apex court on Thursday directed the Kamal Nath government to prove majority by Friday 5 p.m. After the apex court's ruling, the Speaker accepted the resignation of the 16 MLAs and BJP MLA Sharad Kaul. The resignation of six MLAs was accepted by the Speaker earlier.

The Congress government fell after surviving on a razor thin majority for 15 months. The Congress strength in the House was reduced to 92 MLAs, which had 114 MLAs when the House was elected.

The Congress, which was out of power since 2003, managed to form the government in 2018 after getting support from the Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and four Independents. IANS