Kamal Nath didn’t give us a hearing; we aren’t held captive: MLAs

BENGALURU: Rebel Congress MLAs holed up in Bengaluru said on Tuesday they were not held captive by anyone as alleged by Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath.
“We have come voluntarily to Karnataka; neither have we been held hostage nor was there any pressure on us to quit,” the MLAs told reporters at a joint press conference on Tuesday.
In all, 23 MLAs owing allegiance to Jyotiraditya Scindia rebelled against their party’s government two weeks ago and since then, they’ve been camping in Bengaluru.The resignations of six of these MLAs have since been accepted.
Legislators at the press conference included Govind Singh Rajput, Rajvardhan Singh, Andal Singh Kansana, Tulsi Ram Silavat, Imarti Devi and Bisahu Lal Singh. They added they were ready to return to Bhopal but only under security by central paramilitary forces. “We have no trust in our state’s security. What will happen to us if Scindia is attacked in Bhopal? We’re ready to go to Bhopal only under central security,’’ a rebel MLA said.
When they were asked if they would follow Scindia to the BJP, they said no decision had been taken.
Some MLAs and ministers attacked the Kamal Nath-led state government and its functioning which forced them them to resign. Rajput said Kamal Nath didn’t even give 15 minutes to legislators to discuss issues related to their constituencies. He claimed that he didn’t do developmental work worth even Re 1 in constituencies of other Congress MLAs, whereas projects worth thousands of crores had been taken up in Chhindwara.
Rajput asserted MLAs staying in Jaipur too are upset but helpless.
“If set free, half of them will come running to Bengaluru,” he added.