Congress MLAS arrive in Bhopal ahead of floor test
Rebel MLAS of MP Congress have released videos demanding deployment of central security forces for their security. Several MLAS issued a video message to the Speaker
A total of 94 Congress MLAS along with four independents arrived at Bhopal airport from Jaipur on Sunday amid high expectancy and were driven straight to a hotel in four luxury coaches.
The hotel is reportedly located just about three kms from the Vidhan Sabha where the Budget session of the state assembly begins on Monday.
With extra security around the airport and Section 144 in force not many political leaders were there to receive the Congress MLAS whose cheerful faces gave little hint of the situation ahead.
The Kamal Nath government will have to go through the floor test on Monday following the Address by Governor Lalji Tandon. The Governor seems to have tilted the balance by issuing orders for a floor test on Monday.
The BJP is playing out the ‘Operation Lotus’ on Karnataka pattern and the 22 MLAS including the six whose resignations have been accepted are expected to return to Bhopal on Sunday afternoon.
A Green corridor will be built. No one can enter the convoy up to the airport. All vehicles will be stopped. The Congress will make every effort to break the security shield.
The BJP on the other hand will take out rebel MLAS under the watch of CRPF. The BJP on behalf of the rebel Congress MLAS had asked for CRPF security around the airport and on the route to the hotel of where the MLAS will be kept. They have made it clear that they don’t trust the state police.
The rebel MLAS of Madhya Pradesh Congress have released videos demanding deployment of central security forces for their security. Several rebel MLAS present in Bengaluru issued a video message to the Speaker.
The Congress has reacted to this and said that it should have released under pressure.
Twenty-two Congress MLAS have resigned from the party in support of former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. MP Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati has accepted the resignations of six of these MLAS.
In the video message, the legislators have said, “The Speaker of the Assembly has given us notice to attend the House. We have received information, but we are concerned about our security.
“There is a doubt about security when we come to Bhopal. So it is important to take the help of central security forces to ensure our safety.”
Congress spokesperson and media department Vice-president Syed Jaffer said: “These videos have been made by the legislators under pressure. In the videos that have surfaced, the whispering voice of the other person along with the MLA shows that these were made after training.”
the Bharatiya Janata Party held a series of meetings on Sunday with former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan camping in the national capital to meet the party MLAS lodged in Manesar, near Gurugram.
Sources said Madhya Pradesh BJP leaders met at the residence of union minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday morning. The meeting was attended by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Dharmendra Pradhan and newly inducted Jyotiraditya Scindia.
They all went to the residence of Amit Shah and held a brief meeting with him as Shah was scheduled to host a delegation from Jammu and Kashmir.
After meeting Shah, BJP leaders went to meet Solicitor General Tushar Mehta where they discussed the legal aspects of the political turmoil in the state and sought his opinion if matter reach the Supreme Court. These meetings came after Congress and BJP issued whips to all their MLAS to be present in Bhopal on Monday ahead of the floor test.
Congress MLA and son of senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, Jaivardhan Singh said, “We will prove our numbers on the floor of the House.”
Congress members refused to say how many MLAS had gone to Jaipur but insist that “all is well.”
“I can’t disclose the number but all is well,” said Brajendra Singh Rathore, minister for commercial tax.
Minister for Panchayat and Rural development Kamleshwar Patel said the Congress could also get the support of some BJP MLAS. “There are certain BJP MLAS too who are with Congress,” he said.
The Congress has accused the BJP of holding its MLAS hostage in Bengaluru and has asked the Governor to “rescue” them ahead of the floor test.
BJP legislature party chief whip Narottam Mishra issued a three-line whip for its MLAS stating that voting along the party during a floor test is mandatory.