COVID-19 CASTS SHADOW ON MP TRUST VOTE
The coronavirus outbreak has cast its shadow over floor test by the “minority” Kamal Nath government, scheduled to be held on Monday.
Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker N.P. Prajapati on Sunday declared he would take a final call on holding the floor test in the House, keeping in view the coronavirus threat, only on Monday.
The Assembly secretariat made no mention of the floor test in the business proceedings of the first day of the Budget Session of the House, due to begin on Monday, indicating uncertainty over the holding of the trust vote on that day.
The Speaker had earlier on Sunday tried to parry the question on holding the floor test on Monday, as directed by governor Lalji Tandon.
Coronavirus has cast its shadow over floor test by ‘minority’ Kamal Nath government, scheduled to be held on Monday.
Speaker of MP Assembly N.P. Prajapati on Sunday declared that he would take a final call on holding floor test in the house keeping in view the threat of corona virus, on Monday.
Hours after Madhya Pradesh governor Lalji Tandon asked the state Congress government to prove its majority in the house on Monday by saying that it has reduced to ‘minority’ following resignation of 22 Congress MLAs, ministers in the Kamal Nath cabinet demanded suspension of the ensuing Budget Session of the Assembly, scheduled to commence on Monday, citing threat of corona virus infection.
The ensuing Budget session of the MP Assembly should be suspended to avoid corona infection,” state law minister P.C. Sharma told reporters here.
He said the issue was discussed at the meeting of State Cabinet held here in the morning under the chairmanship of Chief
Minister Kamal Nath.
State assembly speaker N.P. Prajapati said he was concerned over health of members of the House due to threat of corona virus infection and ordered measures such as screening of MLAs and others entering the house and wearing of masks by them.
Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargav said the Kamal Nath government was trying to escape floor test citing corona threat and said it would amount to violation of governor’s directive to hold floor test in the House. Chief minister Kamal Nath however sought to settle issue of 22 rebel Congress MLAs lodged in a resort in Bengaluru in Karnatak before holding the floor test.
“I have urged Union home minister to secure release of 22 Congress MLAs lodged in a resort in Bengaluru, before the floor test. My government is ready to face trust vote and I am confident of proving majority,” he added.
In another development, a delegation of Opposition BJP met the governor on Sunday demanding that the voting during floor test should be done by raising hands by the MLAs since the Kamal
Nath government might take plea of dysfunctional of voting machine in the house to defer floor test.
Meanwhile, around 92 Congress legislators who were put in two resorts in Jaipur in Rajasthan shifted to Bhopal on Sunday to attend the ensuing budget session of the house.
The party issued a whip on them to attend the assembly as well as for the floor test.
The BJP is also likely to shift its MLAs lodged in a hotel in Gurgaon to Bhopal by Monday. The party also issued whip on its legislators for floor test in the house.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) which has one MLA in MP assembly issued whip in him to vote in favour of Kamal Nath government during floor test.
Sources said senior BJP leaders including Union ministers N Tomar and Dharmendra Pradhan were holding deliberations with solicitor general of India in Delhi on the situation in MP.
The ruling Congress has strength of 114. However, ‘resignation’ of its 22 MLAs have threatened to reduce its strength to 92.
The Kamal Nath government is supported by two BSP MLAs, one SP legislator and four Independents.