Madhya Pradesh Crisis: Digvijaya Singh Detained In Bengaluru After Failed Attempt to Meet Congress Rebels

The political crisis of Madhya Pradesh took a dramatic turn on Wednesday morning after senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh was detained by the Bengaluru Police for his failed attempt to meet the Congress rebels at the five-star resort in Karanataka capital city. Singh reached Bengaluru during early morning hours. He was received by Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar at the airport.  Along with other party leaders, both of them reached outside the resort, where the rebels are camping. Singh tried to enter the resort and was stopped by the security officials. Later, police also reached the site. Not allowed to meet the rebels, Singh staged a dharna outside the resort.

#WATCH Karnataka: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has now been placed under preventive arrest. He was sitting on dharna near Ramada hotel in Bengaluru, allegedly after he was not allowed by Police to visit it. 21 #MadhyaPradesh Congress MLAs are lodged at the hotel. pic.twitter.com/dP3me4qjw0

— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020

'I will wait all my life if I have to. My fight is ideological. I will go on a hunger strike if I won't be allowed to meet the MLAs,' Singh said. Shortly after, the police detained him. In detention, Singh claimed that the Congress leaders were being held captive. 'We were expecting them to come back, but when we saw they're being held back, messages came from their families...I personally spoke to 5 MLAs, they said they're captive, phones snatched away, there is Police in front of every room. They're being followed 24/7 (sic),' Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

DK Shivakumar, Congress's reliable trouble-shooter, slammed the BS Yediyurappa governmnet for the police action. 'The BJP governmentt in state is misusing the power. We have our own political strategy, we know how to handle the situation.  He's (Digivijiya Singh ) not alone here. I'm here. I know how to support him. But I don't want to create a law and order situation in Karnataka,' Shivakumar said soon after Singh was detained by the police.

BJP’s model of democracy:

MLAs can’t speak to CM
MLAs can’t speak to their family members
MLAs can’t speak to Speaker
MLAs can’t speak to party leaders.

MLAs will only speak under controlled circumstances & glare of goons posted by opposition.

This is being called democracy!

— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) March 18, 2020

In a series of tweets, Singh questioned the police action and asked why was he not allowed to meet his own MLAs. He also said that if there are any concerns then the MLAs mus take constitutunal measure. He said that anything apart from the set norms is nothing but 'abduction of demorcay. "BJP’s model of democracy: MLAs can’t speak to CM MLAs can’t speak to their family members MLAs can’t speak to Speaker MLAs can’t speak to party leaders. MLAs will only speak under controlled circumstances & glare of goons posted by opposition. This is being called democracy,"  Singh said on Twitter.

The Kamal Nath government in MP is fighting for survival after Jyotiraditya Scindia revolted and joined the BJP, and 22 of his supporter MLAs announced their resignations from the Assembly.  There are two vacancies in the Assembly. The Congress has a wafer-thin majority in the 228-member Assembly. Before the rebellion, its tally was 114. It also has the support of four Independents, two BSP MLAs and one from the SP, but some may now switch sides to the BJP. So far, the resignations of the 6 MLAs have been accepted. The Congress, on its own, will then be left with 92 seats, while the BJP has 107 with the magic number for a majority being 104.

(With agency inputs)