Floor Test Deferred As MP Assembly Session Adjourned To March 26 Over COVID-19

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh assembly has been adjourned by the Speaker NP Prajapati on Monday to March 26 in view of the COVID-19 outbreak. Noisy scenes were witnessed on the floor of the house following the announcement. Congress is expected to utilize the time it now has to muster the required numbers.

Chances of a floor test being held in the Madhya Pradesh assembly on Monday remained slim with Chief Minister Kamal Nath hinting that any such show of strength should be conducted only after the 'captive' Congress MLAs holed up in a Bengaluru resort are 'released' by the BJP. Kamal Nath indicated earlier that the decision of conducting a floor test rests with the Speaker and that he was confident his government had the required numbers.

Kamal Nath told his party legislators on Sunday that his party would surmount the "immoral and unconstitutional political crisis created by BJP." The chief minister, while addressing Congress MLAs, wondered how a floor test could be held when his party MLAs were held 'captive'.

MP Governor Lalji Tandon had on Saturday night written to chief minister Kamal Nath instructing him to seek a vote of confidence on the floor of the assembly. Tandon said Kamal Nath should do so as soon as he delivers his address to the legislature on the opening day of the Budget session commencing on Monday.

Meanwhile, the 22 rebel Congress MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia, who quit the party last Tuesday to join the BJP, might not be returning to Bhopal from Bengaluru. The Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati had accepted resignations of 6 of the 22 MLAs.