‘Your Demand for Special Assembly session based on imaginary facts’: Kamal Nath Slams Leader of oppn

Bhopal: Hours after accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of engaging in horse trading to topple his government, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath shot a letter to Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava claiming that perhaps the latter wasn’t aware of ground realities of the government’s schemes in the state. Putting the stability of the Congress government under a cloud, Bhargava had on Monday urged Governor Anandiben Patel to convene a special session of the Assembly to discuss ‘urgent issues of public welfare’ as the same had been stopped by the Congress government. Nath accused Bhargava of writing to the governor on the basis of estimates and imagination. Stating that he was always available for addressing any doubt over governance-related issues, the chief minister said the Congress was ever-ready to debate on issues of public interest. On Tuesday evening, Nath wrote to Bhargava that his government had immediately undertaken public welfare measures after assuming office on Dec 17, 2018, and continued them till March 10, 2019, when the Model Code of Conduct came into effect. In the two-and-a-half months before imposition of poll code, the welfare schemes undertaken by the Congress dispensation included farm loan waivers. It has written off farm loans of 21 lakh farmers despite inheriting an empty coffer from the BJP government. “We continued offering bonus on wheat and payments under the Bhavantar yojana,” said Nath, while alleging the saffron camp of trying to confuse farmers over wheat and gram procurements and payments. Stating that Sambal and other schemes have also continued unhindered all this while, Nath offered the amount of funds sanctioned under the various programmes. The beneficiaries in Gadhakota (Bhargava’s hometown) and Rehli (constituency presented by Bhargava) too have befitted from the schemes, Nath told the LOP. He also mentioned the slashing of electricity bills by half under the Sambal scheme and claimed sufficient budget was allocated for availability of water. Law and order is also under control, he wrote further. Meanwhile, Bhargava accused Nath of offering a superficial reply on the issues brought to light by him. Underlining parliamentary proceedings as a strong medium to address public issues, the LOP urged Nath not to use political spectacles to see his demand for a special assembly session and instead take it as a constructive and pious initiative to raise and solve public issues. He urged Nath to take an immediate decision in public interest. BJP state president Rakesh Singh said Bhargava had only urged the Governor for an assembly session to discuss public issues and did not mention about floor test. “The Congress, apprehensive of the fate of its government, misinterpreted his views and levelled baseless allegations,” Singh said.