Madhya Pradesh MLAs ask Rahul Gandhi to pick next CM; Congress chief to decide on name today

Bhopal: Newly-elected Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh Wednesday asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to nominate the new legislature party leader. At a meeting in Bhopal on Wednesday evening, they unanimously passed a resolution authorising Rahul to name the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader.

File image of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. PTI

"The resolution was moved by senior MLA Arif Aqueel and seconded by other MLAs. They passed it unanimously, authorising the Congress president to nominate the legislature party leader," state Congress media cell chairperson, Shobha Oza told reporters. The meeting lasted for about two hours, she said. Senior Congress leaders AK Antony and Bhanwar Jitendra Singh attended the meeting as the central observers.

Oza said Gandhi will be conveyed the decision of the newly-elected MLAs, after which he will name the CLP leader. The observers are also talking to the MLAs to seek their views, she said. All the four independent MLAs, elected in the 28 November poll, were also present in the meeting, she said. The Congress Wednesday emerged as the single largest party in the state by winning 114 seats, two short of a simple majority of 116 in 230-member house and claimed that it has the support of 121 members. BSP supremo Mayawati on Wednesday morning extended support of her party to the Congress.

Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday tendered his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel, who met a Congress delegation on Wednesday after the party leaders wrote to her on Tuesday, seeking a chance to form the new government in the central Indian state.