MP Crisis: D-Day For Kamal Nath As MLAs Arrive For Floor Test

Bhopal: The Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Lalji Tandon has written to the chief minister Kamal Nath asking him to ensure that a trust vote takes place on Monday. The Governor had asked Kamal Nath to conduct the floor test immediately after his address to the legislature.

The Kamal Nath government faces a major challenge of getting the budget passed as it will be taken up today. The chief minister accused the BJP of poaching its legislators and keeping them in captivity in Bengaluru resort under high security.

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal accused the BJP of taking advantage of some disgruntlement in the Congress which is natural because not all MLAs can be given cabinet berths or positions in any dispensation.

The Congress appears to be buying more time and has left the decision on the floor test to the assembly Speaker NP Prajapati. Chief Minister Kamal Nath has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking the release of 19 Congress MLAs kept 'captive' by the BJP in Bengaluru.

The Congress reckons that the floor test cannot be held in the absence of these legislators and would be inaccurate and undemocratic if held. If the MLAs continued to be absent, the Congress could initiate disciplinary action against them.

The challenge for Kamal Nath is to get the budget passed and convention dictates that the budget should be passed with adequate numbers. However, since the budget is a Finance Bill, the government would not have to resign if it is not passed, according to analysts.