Kamal Nath, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh (M.P.,) on the 16th of March, said the Assembly Speaker would take a call regarding the floor test.
After 22 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) resigned from the INC including 6 ministers, the State Government would go for a floor test. The trust vote or a confidence vote, would decide whether the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would form the Government or the INC would continue with its term.
However, after a detailed midnight meeting of Kamal Nath with Lalji Tandon, the Governor of M.P., it is clear the State Assembly Speaker would decide upon the trust vote. Mr. Nath after the Governor’s meeting, addressed the media and said, “The Governor told me that the proceedings of the state assembly should be carried out smoothly. So I told him that I will talk to the speaker in this regard on Monday morning (the 16th of March.”)
According to sources, The INC and Kamal Nath are trying to buy time to delay the trust vote, so they could convince and contact the MLAs who resigned. The 22 MLAs are currently residing in a 5 star hotel in Bengaluru and under high security.
However, the Kamal Nath led Government said the MLAs want to come back, but are kidnapped by the BJP.
P.C. Sharma, one of the Cabinet ministers of M.P., said, “They (the BJP) have hypnotized our MLAs. The minister had performed a tantra pooja at a local temple yesterday (the 15th of March.)” The statement of Mr.Sharma came after the 22 MLAs sent a video extending support and loyalty to Jyotiraditya Scindia, who recently resigned from the INC and joined the BJP.
The discussions over the trust vote and the MLAs took place during the 16th of March Cabinet meeting, chaired by Kamal Nath.
With these updates, it could be said the “motion of confidence” which was initially scheduled on the 16th of March is likely to be postponed.
However, in case the State Government is delaying the trust vote, the opposition can move a “no confidence motion” against the current Government.
As of now, after the 22 MLAs resigned from the Party, the INC has 99 MLAs and the support of 5 independent candidates, whereas the BJP has 107 MLAs.
The official notification regarding the trust vote is expected to be announced soon today.
