Jyotiraditya Scindia quits Congress, 20 MLAs resign from MP assembly

Former Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia has resigned from the Congress -- and the date below the letterhead suggests this move was planned well in advance.

In a message dated March 9 and addressed to Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi, Jyotiraditya Scindia wrote, "...as you well know, this is a path that has been drawing itself out over the last year."

"While my aim and purpose remain the same as it has always been from the very beginning, to serve the people of my state and country, I believe I am unable to do this anymore within this party."

Jyotiraditya Scindia posted his letter without additional comment on his Twitter page today shortly after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, intensifying speculation that he will join the BJP ahead of Rajya Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh, and help the saffron party topple the state government.

The Congress appeared



to scramble to control the narrative. Within minutes, KC Venugopal said Sonia Gandhi has expelled Jyotiraditya Scindia "with immediate effect for anti-party activities".

But there was more bad news: 20 Congress MLAs soon sent their resignations from the assembly to the Speaker, a day after Scindia and many lawmakers went incommunicado.

Chief Minister Kamal Nath's government does have a majority in the House, albeit a slim one. A large-scale defection won't bode well for him.

As the drama unfolded on Tuesday morning, a top Congress spokesperson tweeted, "Leadership is not everyone’s cup of tea. Or coffee." That prompted speculation that he was targeting Rahul Gandhi, who triggered a leadership crisis within the Congress last year when he resigned after his party's humiliating Lok Sabha election defeat.

Sources now say Jyotiraditya Scindia will join the BJP at 6 pm.