While the BJP is engaged in the formation of ministry, the Congress is still struggling to name its legislature party leader in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP returned to power, winning 143 seats, while the Congress got 71 seats, 33 more than its disastrous performance in 2003, which had broken its 10-year rule.
The Congress MLAs met at the party headquarters in the state capital on Sunday, but the exercise to nominate the CLP leader remained inconclusive as the faction-ridden apparatus failed to reach a consensus. In the true Congress tradition of leaving everything to the high command, the meeting ended with a one-line resolution authorising AICC president Sonia Gandhi to take the final decision.
HRD minister Arjun Singh's son Ajay Singh, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia's supporter Mahendra Singh Kalukheda, Union Minister Kamal Nath's supporter Sajjan Singh Verma, leader of Opposition in the last assembly Jamuna Devi and former minister Harvansh Singh were named by the legislators, but there was no clear favourite.
Source: Express News Service 16/Dec/2008
