The Madhya Pradesh government is yet to move a motion in the Vidhan Sabha seeking a trust vote, confirmed Assembly sources, despite Governor Lalji Tandon’s direction to Chief Minister Kamal Nath to take a floor test on Monday “in any condition.”
As of 9 p.m. on Sunday, the schedule for the first day of the Budget session beginning from 11 a.m. on Monday mentions only the Governor’s address and vote of thanks, raising questions on whether the government would go in for the test on Monday.
Claiming that his “prima facie belief” was that the government had lost the trust of the Assembly and was in minority, Mr. Tandon had directed Mr. Nath to take the test during Monday’s session, which shouldn’t be “postponed, delayed or suspended.”
As there is no facility to register votes by pressing buttons in the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, Mr. Tandon, who had ordered that the trust would be sought on division of votes by pressing buttons, passed a new order stating that vote will now be taken by raising of hands and no other method. Earlier, during the day, BJP leaders had requested the Governor to change the method of voting to raising of hands, owing to lack of other required facilities.
BJP holds meets
Ahead of the crucial floor test, the Bharatiya Janata Party held a series of meetings on Sunday with former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan camping in Delhi to meet the party MLAs lodged at 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 Mr. Chouhan, Dharmendra Pradhan and newly inducted Jyotiraditya Scindia.
They all went to the residence of Home Minister Amit Shah and held a brief meeting with him.
Later, the BJP leaders met Solicitor General Tushar Mehta where they discussed the legal aspects of the political turmoil in the State and sought his opinion if the matter reached the Supreme Court.
Whips issued
These meetings came after the ruling Congress and the BJP issued whips to all their MLAs to be present in Bhopal on Monday ahead of the floor test. Earlier, on Sunday, 92 Congress MLAs arrived in Bhopal from Jaipur and were taken to a hotel where they have been kept till the process of floor test is complete.
(With IANS inputs)