25 Cong MLAs offer to resign

Bhopal, Mar 25(UNI) About 25 Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh today offered to resign to express their solidarity with party chief Sonia Gandhi on the office of profit issue, party sources said.

The legislators met Ms Gandhi in New Delhi today. Ms Gandhi, who rejected their offer, however, asked them to work for strengthening the party, according to a party MLA Indrajit Kumar Patel.

Union Ministers Suresh Pachouri and Kantilal Bhuria, Congress General Secretary incharge of the state Narayan Swami and party MP Jyotiraditya Scindia accompanied the legislators, Mr Patel said.

State Congress spokesman Manak Agrawal said the legislators also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and pleaded for liberal Central assistance to provide relief to farmers affected by hailstorm and unseasonal rains in the state recently.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said at Jabalpur today that the Congress leaders of the state had sought his resignation on office of profit issue only to please 'Madam'(Sonia Gandhi. There was no constitutional ban on his holding the CM's post, he said.

At Indore, State BJP President Satyanarayan Jatia described as 'Bhedchal'(flock movement) the offer of resignation by Congress MLAs.

UNI Team SP CH SP1312