Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon Asks CM Kamal Nath To Conduct Floor Test Today

Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon has asked Chief Minister Kamal Nath to conduct floor test on Tuesday. The fresh directive came two days after the Governor first asked the chief minister to face a floor test on Monday, after the commencement of the budget session of the Assembly. “Conduct the floor test on 17th March otherwise it will be considered that you actually don't have the majority in the state assembly,” the Governor said in a letter to Kamal Nath.

Earlier, the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh got a 10-day breather on Monday as the assembly session was adjourned without an anticipated trust vote until March 26 over coronavirus. The Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon had directed the chief minister to seek a trust vote in the assembly. In his letter to Nath, Tandon stated, "I came to know that 22 MLAs have sent their resignations to the MP Assembly Speaker and they have also informed about it on electronic and print media. I have seen the coverage on both media. They have also sent the letter to me separately on 10 March, 2020 and the same MLAs have requested for the central security to present these resignation letters to the Vidhan Sabha speaker on 13 March".

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"Under Article 174 and 175(2) of the Constitution, I am empowered to direct that the Madhya Pradesh Assembly session will begin on 16 March at 11 am with my address. Soon after that, the only work to be done is voting on trust vote," the Governor said.

The Congress party, on the other hand, is confident of proving majority in the house. “We will not allow the BJP to succeed in its design. I am confident about the government proving its majority,” Kamal Nath said.

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However, he added, “BJP wants the (22) Congress MLAs are held captive in Bangalore when a floor test is held here. Voting has a meaning when all are free to vote in a free atmosphere.”