Showdown in MP Assembly likely on Mon as Speaker noncommittal on holding trust vote
Uncertainly prevails over the floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly as Speaker NP Prajapati has not given clear instructions for it despite Governor Lalji Tandon on Saturday night asking Chief Minister Kamal Nath to seek a trust vote soon after the Governor address on Monday.
With the BJP seeking an confidence vote at the earliest and the Congress in favour of putting it off for a few days in order to woo back its rebels, it seems the political drama has now shifted to the Assembly.
On being asked whether he will respect the Governor’s direction to the Chief Minister for the Confidence Motion on Monday, the Speaker remained noncommittal and told the reporters, “This will be known tomorrow... I will read out my ruling tomorrow.”
As the rebellion led by Jyotiraditya Scindia threatened the survival of its Government, the Congress appeared keen on putting off the trust vote and asserted that it is the Speaker’s prerogative to decide about the proceedings of the House, but a buoyed BJP maintained that he was bound by the Governor’s direction. BJP legislative party sources said it will vociferously demand for the trust vote after the Governor’s address.
However, Law and Legal Affairs Minister PC Sharma said, “What all will be done in the House, the Speaker decides.”
Another Congress MLA said the floor test “might not take place on Monday” and the issue could even go to court.
After the Speaker accepted the resignation of six Congress MLAs on Saturday, the party now has 108 legislators. These include 16 rebel legislators who have also put in their papers but their resignations are yet to be accepted.
The BJP has 107 seats in the House which now has an effective strength of 222, with the majority mark being 112.
To add to the ruling Congress’ woes, it is yet uncertain whether it will continue getting the support of four Independents, two BSP MLAs and one MLA from the SP.
Referring to resignations of 22 Congress MLAs, the Governor wrote in his letter to the CM: “Based on the above facts, prima facie, I believe that your Government has lost the confidence of the House and it is in minority. This is a very serious issue and therefore as per the constitutional provisions and for protecting the democratic values, it is necessary that on March 16, soon after my address, you seek the trust vote in the Assembly.”
While the Congress MLAs returned on Sunday from Jaipur, the BJP too was bringing back its legislators from Haryana to attend the first day of the session on Monday.
BJP vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said Chief Minister Kamal Nath should step down as the Congress Government has become “lame-duck” after the resignation of the 22 MLAs. BJP legislative party sources said that it will vociferously press for the trust vote after the Governor’s address.
The opposition party claims that the political crisis in the State is due to internal fighting in the Congress and it has nothing to do with it.
The 19 rebel Congress MLAs are likely to return by Monday morning, a source close to Jyotiraditya Scindia, who has joined the BJP, said. Amid the political slugfest, state public relations minister PC Sharma on Sunday demanded that all the MLAs be screened for coronavirus.
“The MLAs who have returned from Jaipur and also those who have gone to Haryana and Benguluru should undergo coronavirus tests. It is important as the virus has spread in Jaipur and Haryana,” he said.