Shivraj govt gets majority on the floor in MP Assembly

THE BJP HAS 107 WHILE THE CONGRESS 92 LAWMAKERS IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY, WHICH HAS A STRENGTH OF 206

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday won a confidence vote in absence of opposition Congress lawmakers in the state assembly a day after he was sworn in.

Two of the four Independent, lone Samajwadi Party (SP) and two Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) lawmakers backed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

Chouhan, 61, was sworn in as the chief minister for the fourth term on Monday days after the Kamal Nath-led government fell last week following the resignation of 22 Congress lawmakers.

Chouhan said that his government’s immediate goal was to take all possible measures so as to protect the lives of people in the state amid the coronavirus pandemic. “That is why there are 36 districts under lockdown and curfew has been clamped on two districts [to check the spread of the pandemic]. People in these districts have to suffer but these measures are badly required to protect lives of people,” said Chouhan.

The BJP has 107 while the Congress 92 lawmakers in the state Assembly, which has an effective strength of 206 after the resignation of the 22. Two assembly seats were already vacant. The majority mark in the House is 104.

As the special session of the state assembly for the vote began, Chouhan moved a one-line proposal to seek the trust of the House. The BJP’S 107 and five Independent, SP and BSP lawmakers endorsed his government through a voice vote.

Senior BJP lawmaker Jagdish Devda, one of the members of the speaker’s panel, chaired the session.

Nath said many Congress lawmakers were not intimated about the session in time.

“However, seeking the trust vote by the government was merely a formality. I had a discussion with chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. As Opposition, we will support the government on the issues of development...,” he said after calling on Chouhan later in the day.