In the end, it turned out to be a tame Friday in Madhya Pradesh, with Chief Minister Kamal Nath sending his resignation to Governor Lalji Tandon, instead of taking the floor test as directed by the Supreme Court. Evidently, Congress managers failed to win back the 16 MLAs who won on a Congress ticket but chose to stay with Jyotiraditya Scindia when the latter shifted loyalty to the BJP earlier this month. The unseemly and now frequent drama of vaulting ambitions and political hubris staged, mostly behind closed doors, in the backdrop of luxury resorts and speculation of cash rewards, offers a dim view of democracy at work.
The developments in MP also reveal the limits of the anti-defection law. Ever since the recent Supreme Court ruling in the context of events in Karnataka, a legislator who wants to change sides only needs to fight a by-election to re-enter the House in the same term. Just 15 months after a new assembly was elected, MP will now need to conduct at least 23 by-polls soon. They will be a burden on the exchequer, even as they further dent public trust in the political process.
