The recent Jhabua bypoll win has given a clear edge to the Congress in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly.
The party, which has been dependent on the support of four independent MLAs for majority, is now just one short of the majority mark (116) on its own in the 230-member House.
The BJP, on the other hand, now has 108 MLAs.
Congress candidate Kanti Lal Bhuria won the Jhabua seat by over 27,000 votes. He polled almost 56 percent votes over his nearest rival, Bhanu Bhuria of the BJP.
One of the four independent lawmakers who support the party has been made a Minister in Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s Cabinet.
“Even the other independents are Congress rebels. So, there is no threat to our government,” said a senior Congress leader, who didn't want to disclose his name.
After losing the Karnataka government to defections by party MLAs, the Congress has been alert to any possible attempt of poaching.
