BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh’s Tribal Welfare Minister Gyan Singh, who had been elected to Parliament through a byelection at Shahdol in November, finally resigned from his post on Saturday.
Gyan Singh had continued as minister in the state even though he had been elected to Parliament taking advantage of the clause that allows a person to be a minister in the state without being a member of Assembly.
On Saturday, Gyan Singh reached the CM house and submitted his resignation to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Gyan Singh’s case has been unique in the annals of Madhya Pradesh. Sources said that Gyan Singh was not keen to contest the Lok Sabha byelections from Shahdol.
However, the CM prevailed over Gyan Singh, but the Minister put a condition that he be allowed to continue as minister as long as it was constitutionally possible. Also, he put the condition that his son Shivnarayan be allowed to contest from his assembly seat in case he wins the Lok Sabha bypoll.
Soon after the Shahdol byelections which Gyan Singh won, the byelections to the Bandhavgarh assembly segment from which Gyan Singh resigned after being elected to Parliament were announced. Gyan Singh’s son was given the party nomination from Bandhavgarh and he won the bypolls.
Sources added that Gyan Singh was also trying to convince the CM that his son be made minister after he resigns. The demand seems unlikely to be accommodated as Shivnarayan is a first term MLA.
Gyan Singh had resigned from his membership of assembly on December 5. Six months as minister without being a member of the House would have been completed on June 6.
