MP CM Kamal Nath using Davos as a political platform, says BJP
BHOPAL: Chief minister Kamal Nath’s Davos visit has courted controversy back home after his remarks on alleged BJP involvement in horse-trading in Madhya Pradesh.
Leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava on Thursday accused Nath of misusing the international platform at World Economic Forum for political reasons. He said BJP would raise the matter in the assembly.
“It is highly objectionable to misuse an international platform against the BJP. Chief minister Kamal Nath is trying to malign the image of the country and the state. He is also violating international visa norms by raising political issues during an international summit. BJP will raise the issue in the assembly”, said Bhargava, reacting sharply to Nath’s horse-trading charges.
On Tuesday, Nath spoke to a section of the Indian media at Davos and alleged that BJP is trying to destabilize his government by indulging in horse-trading, but five BJP MLAs were also in touch with him for a switch over.
“At least, five Congress MLAs have claimed that BJP leaders approached them with allurements to break away from the party. We have experienced it at the time of speaker and deputy speaker’s elections, where the BJP stood exposed as they were short of numbers”, the chief minister said.
Nath further claimed that there are BJP MLAs who are seeing no future for themselves in the party. “Some five or six BJP MLAs are in touch with me constantly. But, I don’t need them as of now”, he said.
BJP demanded that Nath must disclose the names of leaders involved in horse-trading in public. “Earlier, as MP Congress president, he had claimed that 40 BJP leaders were in touch with him and willing to switch over to Congress. Since he is the chief minister now, his statement in Switzerland on horse-trading needs to be corroborated with facts”, BJP national vice-president and Rajya Sabha member Prabha Jha.
BJP state president Rakesh Singh said Nath is concerned about the untimely fall of his government and that is why he is still talking about number games in Davos. “His allegations on horse-trading are irrelevant, but it is very clear that his government is not stable”, he said.
Congress leaders said that Nath need not ask BJP about what to speak in Davos. BJP leaders envy Nath’s Switzerland visit and are making hue and cry about nothing, they said.
“The chief minister has reacted to a series of questions by the media and has not released any statement. BJP leaders envy his participation at the World Economic Forum. Nath needs no suggestion from the BJP on what to say at the international summit”, said cabinet minister Sajjan Singh Verma.
