MP Home Minister leaves midway at CM's felicitation event, triggers speculations of 'discord'

As people were cheering for Chief Minister for the OBC reservation, Mishra, holding the kurta of Minister Bhupendra Singh, made him stand next to the Chief Minister and himself started coming down from the stage.

Bhopal(Madhya Pradesh):Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra leaving the stage at a function at Chief Minister's house on Saturday where Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was felicitated by the OBC community on the Supreme Court's recent decision allowing OBC reservation in the local body elections has triggered speculations about a "discord" between the two heavyweights.

While Chouhan was addressing the felicitation ceremony, Home Minister Narottam Mishra who attended the event left the stage towards the end. As people were cheering for Chief Minister for the OBC reservation, Mishra, holding the kurta of Minister Bhupendra Singh, made him stand next to the Chief Minister and himself started coming down from the stage.

As Mishra was leaving, Minister Ramkhelawan Patel tried to stop him, but to no avail. According to the relatives of the Home Minister, Mishra "wanted to rest and it clashed with the felicitating ceremony so he left early from the program". Political analysts say the Home Minister walking away from the Chief Minister's program shows a discord among the leaders of the BJP.

Meanwhile, CM Chouhan while speaking at the function about the SC allowing an OBC reservation in MP local body polls said the Backward Classes Commission got constitutional status "only on the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Efforts were made by passing a resolution in the assembly to hold elections with OBC reservation."

"With the formation of the Mandal Commission in the year 1977, the work in the direction of reservation of Other Backward Classes started. The previous governments in the state were not serious in presenting their side in the court. Our government took every possible effort for the OBC reservations. Ultimately, truth prevailed and the way for elections with the reservation for Other Backward Classes in the state was paved,” he added.

Chouhan on May 12 met the Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta in Bhopal to discuss the legal provision to provide OBC reservations in the state. The meeting was also attended by State Home and Law Minister Narottam Mishra and Urban Development and Housing Minister Bhupinder Singh.