Cong to sweep bypolls for 24 MP seats, regain power, says Kamal Nath

Madhya Pradesh Congress president and former chief minister Kamal Nath said his party would come back to power after bypolls are held for 24 seats in the 230- member state Assembly.Nath had to quit as CM on March 20 after 22 of his MLAs rebelled and resigned from the Assembly following the decision of senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia to leave the Congress and join the BJP.

Two seats are vacant due to the death of sitting MLAs. No bypoll date for these seats has been announced so far.Speaking to reporters through video conferencing, Nath said, "The voters know how they were betrayed in 22 seats (where MLAs quit bringing down his government). How due to greed, 22 MLAs joined the BJP. They (turncoats) will get a befitting reply from the electorate."

Nath went on to predict that the Congress would win "22 of 24" seats whenever bypolls are held, though he also added that "I am not giving any seat to the BJP" when asked which two seats the saffron party could win.

On the chain of events that led to the fall of his government, Nath said, "I am hurt. I never thought our MLAs could fall for such allurements. I have long political experience, but did not have experience of deals in politics."

With the effective strength of the Assembly standing at 206, the BJP has a majority with 107 MLAs.The Congress' current strength is 92, while there are four Independent MLAs, two from BSP and one from SP.