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Congress cites coronavirus to try & defer MP assembly session, buy time to coax its MLAs

The MP assembly session is set to begin on 16 March, while the 22 Scindia-supporting MLAs in Bengaluru are set to fly to Bhopal Friday evening.

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New Delhi: Can coronavirus save the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh? The Congress is citing the threat from the virus to push for a deferment of the assembly session that is scheduled to begin Monday, 16 March.

If the session is deferred, it will give a breather to the Congress, which will get more time to try to persuade its 22 MLAs from the Jyotiraditya Scindia camp not to resign from the assembly.

If these MLAs — lodged in Bengaluru under strict supervision of the BJP — resign, the strength of the Madhya Pradesh assembly will go down to 206. The Congress will be left with just 92 MLAs, and the Kamal Nath government could lose the floor test, paving way for the formation of a BJP government. The BJP has 107 MLAs.

Kamal Nath has sent two ministers to Bengaluru to meet these MLAs, but they haven’t been able to contact them. This is why the Congress is making a desperate attempt to use the threat from the coronavirus to buy some more time. Senior leader Digvijaya Singh has also demanded that the MLAs be screened for coronavirus because they’re coming from Bengaluru, which has “several cases” of the disease.

The BJP is, however, preparing to force a floor test immediately after the assembly session starts Monday. It is set to meet Governor Lalji Tandon to demand a floor test before the budget is passed.


Also read: Rivals Digvijaya, Kamal Nath joined hands to edge Scindia out, now striving to save MP govt


BJP’s strategy

The BJP’s strategy could unfold as early as Friday evening, when the Scindia-supporting MLAs meet Speaker N.P. Prajapati to satisfy him that their resignation is voluntary, and not under pressure, as alleged by Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh. The MLAs are expected to fly from Bengaluru to Bhopal on a chartered plane Friday evening.

CM Nath met the governor Friday morning and alleged the BJP has indulged in horse-trading, asking him to step in and “free” the MLAs being “held” by the BJP. An agitated CM told reporters after the meeting: “I am ready for floor test, but first you hold 22 MLAs captive and then ask for a floor test. Is this right?”

However, a senior BJP leader who did not want to be identified told ThePrint: “The party is confident that the Kamal Nath government will not able to pass the floor test. The Congress is just buying time to manage MLAs.

“The state parliamentary affairs minister (Govind Singh) has asked the Speaker to postpone the session due to coronavirus, but when Parliament is running, this kind of demand is mere delaying tactics,” the leader added.

Madhya Pradesh BJP spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai added: “We are going to push for the floor test as they don’t have the right to present the budget being a minority government now after losing the support of their MLAs.”


Also read: On brink of collapse, Kamal Nath govt ‘targets’ BJP MLAs with raids, notices, demolition


Will speaker have to accept MLAs’ statement?

Former state minister and senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra, one of the leaders spearheading the party’s operation, said: “We are moving forward with our strategy. Constitutionally, it is required that the MLAs meet the Speaker and satisfy him that their resignation is voluntarily, not due to pressure, so that the Speaker and the chief minister can’t delay the floor test.”

The Speaker, Mishra added, can’t reject their resignations if MLAs have told them in person that they have resigned without any pressure.

Constitutional experts ThePrint spoke to confirmed that this was indeed the case.

Former Lok Sabha secretary-general P.D.T. Achary said: “The Speaker has the power to personally meet MLAs, but if an MLA says in person that he/she has resigned without pressure, there is little option before speaker but to accept. If he rejects the resignation, the MLA can challenge the decision in court.”

BJP also keeping an eye on its MLAs

BJP sources also said the party is keeping an eye on its own MLAs, who have been put up in a resort near Manesar, Haryana. Senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya has been monitoring the situation there.

“A number of Congress leaders are trying to get in touch with the BJP MLAs, but so far, have not been able to make any inroads, as the party has put up jammers and has secured the area,” another BJP leader said.


Also read: How Congress is desperately trying to save CM Kamal Nath’s govt in Madhya Pradesh


 

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1 COMMENT

  1. Digital India. The show of strength can be determined by the MP Governer/ speaker by video conferencing. Alternatively all the resigned MLAs can troop into Rajbhavan Infront of the Governer/ Speaker and the same is videographed for proof.

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