Kamal Nath government set to gain majority as four Independents back Congress

India वोट Kar | December 20, 2018

Kamal Nath government stable, Four Independent MLAs, set to become associated members of the Congress in the Assembly

The new Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, led by Chief Minister Kamal Nath, was on course to secure a majority of its own in the 230-member Assembly, according to party sources. The Congress had ended up two seats short of the halfway mark in the assembly election held the previous week.

How the numbers add up

The Congress won 114 seats, the BJP 109, Independents 4 and the BSP 2, with the SP also winning seats. Party sources said the four Independent MLAs were expected to join the Congress as associated members of the House, which would take the party’s strength to 118, two above the majority mark. Under the rules, Independent members may either stay unattached or associate themselves with a party.

The talks with the four, who had earlier been linked with the Congress and are said to be close to Digvijaya Singh, were described as being at an advanced stage, and sources said a formal move was only a matter of time. The Chief Minister was also expected to name his council of ministers before Christmas.

Effect on BSP and SP support

Such a move would reduce the weight of the BSP and SP legislators, who had been seen as essential to the government’s survival. It would then be for those MLAs to decide whether to continue backing the government from outside or chart an independent course, at a time when ruling-side legislators were lobbying for cabinet posts.

Kamal Nath’s by-election

Kamal Nath was then a Lok Sabha member and, under the rules, had six months to get elected to the Assembly. He was reported to be considering a by-election from Saunsar, which falls within his Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency, while several sitting Congress MLAs had reportedly offered to give up their seats for him.

Originally published on 20 December 2018. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.