Madhya Pradesh Floor Test: Supreme Court Issues Notice To Kamal Nath Govt, Hearing Tomorrow At 10.30 AM

The Supreme Court on Tuesday pushed the Madhya Pradesh floor test hearing till Tuesday. Issuing the notice to the Kamal Nath government, the Supreme Court said that the plea filed by Shivaraj Singh Chouhan and other BJP MLAs seeking immediate floor test in MP Assembly will be taken up on Wednesday at 10:30 am. In a related development, 16 rebel MLAs have also approached the top court for getting their resignation accepted. In its plea seeking floor test, the BJP accused the Congress government of "deliberately and wilfully" defying the Governor's order.

The petition was filed through Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was chief minister for 15 years until late 2018. In a high voltage drama in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Monday saw just a minute-long address by Governor Lalji Tandon. After that, Assembly Speaker adjourned the House apparently over coronavirus scare. Meanwhile, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday said the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh was in a minority after 22 Congress MLAs quit and the BJP would return to power in that state.

The Kamal Nath government in MP is fighting for survival after Jyotiraditya Scindia revolted and joined the BJP, and 22 of his supporter MLAs announced their resignations from the Assembly."The Kamal Nath government will fall and the BJP will come to power. Scindia has taken a good decision (to join the BJP)," he said, adding that "power change can happen in Maharashtra also".

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government was formed in the state after the Shiv Sena walked out of its alliance with BJP and joined hands with the Congress and NCP.He also praised the Centre''s move to revoke special status of Jammu and Kashmir and claimed the restive region was experiencing peace after provisions of Article 370 were scrapped."If Pakistan Occupied Kashmir is brought under our control, then terrorism will be wiped out and it will make India-Pakistan relations better," he added.

Queried on reports of Maharashtra minister Nitin Raut allegedly making derogatory statements against the Brahmin community, Athawale said, "I think even Babasaheb Ambedkar did not like anything to be said against the Brahmin community. Babasaheb had opposed Brahminvaad (Brahminism) and casteism.""Besides, many Brahmins like Babasaheb''s ideology," he added.

(With agency inputs)