A week after she lost in Madhya Pradesh by-poll, BJP leader Imarti Devi submitted her resignation from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's cabinet. Minister for Women and Child Welfare Department, Devi has also issued a video statement to the media, saying she has decided to resign. Her resignation also comes ahead of the Cabinet meeting on November 26.
Devi, who is a supporter of BJP Rajya Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, confirmed to reporters that Chouhan will decide further on her resignation. She had lost the recent by-polls in Dabra. “I have handed over my resignation to bhai sahab (Chouhan) and it’s up to him whether he accepts it or rejects it,” she said. Adding, “You guys please get the confirmation from the CM… why am I being bothered on this time and again.”
Devi, who was in news last month after Congress leader Kamal Nath’s “item” remark, was also among the 22-MLAs who quit the Congress and joined BJP along with Scindia in March this year. In the recent polls, she faced defeat at the hands of a Congress candidate Suresh Raje.
Notably, after the loss, she said she was happy because former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath’s face was "blackened". “I had been praying since that day that no matter I win or lose, Kamal Nath’s face should be blackened,” Devi told reporters, adding: “That is why she is so happy”.
Devi’s political career started in 1997 when she became the Senior Vice-President of District IYC (Indian Youth Congress) in Gwalior. She was 22 then. She went on to become a member of the District Panchayat of Gwalior from 2004-2009. Devi has been the chairperson of Block Congress Dabra since 2005.
Prior to joining BJP, Devi was an active member of the Congress Party for nearly 23 years. She came to the spotlight when the former chief minister Nath called her “item” in a speech during the election campaign. Reacting to the same, Devi had publicly criticised him for the sexist remark. Nath faced immense social media backlash for his comments. The election commission not only criticised Nath for his comments but also removed the politician from the “star campaigner” status of his political party in Madhya Pradesh by-polls.
Also Read: 10 Things To Know About Dalit Female Political Candidate Imarti Devi
Feature Image Credit: ABP News
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