MP: Amid poaching row, BJP MLA asks Amit Shah for security

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A senior BJP leader from Madhya Pradesh on Saturday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding security for MLAs in the state amid a poaching row with the ruling Congress. On Friday, BJP MLAs and former ministers Sanjay Pathak and Vishwas Sarang had claimed threat to their lives after the Kamal Nath government withdrew their personal security officers.

Speaking to PTI on Saturday, Rameshwar Sharma, MP BJP vice president and MLA from Huzur in Bhopal, said he has written to Shah to provide security to legislators. "MLAs from BJP, BSP, SP as well as Independents, and even those from the Congress, having differences with CM Kamal Nath or (senior Congress leader and RS MP) Digvijaya Singh face a threat to their lives," Sharma said.

He alleged that the state DGP (VK Singh) was removed from the post "overnight" as he refused to budge when the "Congress regime wanted to misuse the police force". "We have full faith in MP police but they are working under pressure from the Kamal Nath government. So in such a situation, we have to demand security from the Centre for MLAs who oppose the Congress government here," Sharma said. 

Meanwhile, MP Public Relations Minister PC Sharma called the change in personal security officers as a "routine process". "But why are they (BJP) afraid? It seems the illegal works started during the (previous) BJP regime are still going on," the minister claimed.BJP MLAs Pathak and Sarang had claimed a threat to their lives after their PSOs, who were on duty with them for 10-20 years, were removed.

Pathak even alleged that a 'pran-ghatak ghatna' (life threatening incident) occurred with him on Wednesday night but refused to share details. Sarang claimed the Kamal Nath government wanted to reduce the number of BJP MLAs by "killing them".

Earlier this week the Congress had said the BJP had "abducted" 14 MLAs to bring down the government in Madhya Pradesh, an allegation which the opposition party denied. The Congress holds a thin majority in the 230-member Assembly, with its 114 MLAs being supported by two BSP, one SP and four Independent legislators. The BJP has 107 legislators while two seats are vacant.

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