Covid-19: Kamal Nath says lockdown was delayed so that BJP could form government in Madhya Pradesh

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, who resigned from the post last month, lashed out at the centre today over the novel coronavirus outbreak in the state that has infected 532 people and killed 36 others.

The "centre's engagement in toppling the (state) government led to delay in taking steps to tackle" the crisis, he said, referring to dramatic scenes last month in which 22 former MLAs resigned to leave the ruling Congress short of numbers in the Assembly and thereby allowing the BJP to grab power.

Kamal Nath also pointed out that the BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was sworn in as Chief Minister two days after the Congress government collapsed, had still not yet appointed ministers for Home and Health ministries - key posts in the battle to contain the contagious COVID-19 virus.