MP floor test: Speaker NP Prajapati accepts resignation of remaining rebel MLAs

With these resignations of the Scindia loyalists, all 22 MLAs who resigned on March 10 now stand accepted making the House’s total strength fall to 206.

Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati has accepted resignations of 16 rebel Congress MLAs, who have been staying at a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru, along with six others, for past few days. The speaker had accepted the resignations of the six, who were also ministers in the Kamal Nath cabinet, earlier.

The decision comes hours before the Kamal Nath government has to prove its majority in a floor test mandated by the Supreme Court.

As per the SC order, the Kamal Nath government has to prove its majority on the Assembly floor by end of the day on Friday. The floor test is expected at 5 pm.

If the current situation persists, Congress is set to lose Madhya Pradesh as the state government has lost the majority in the Assembly.

With this resignation of the Jyotiraditya Scindia loyalists, all 22 MLAs who resigned on March 10 now stand accepted – consequently making the House’s total strength fall to 206, where ruling Congress with 92 members and seven allied MLAs is now at least five short of simple majority figure of 104 seats, while BJP with 107 MLAs is three more than the simple majority.

While announcing acceptance of the 16 remaining resignations with effect from March 10, the Speaker said “In the wake of the Supreme Court directions on Thursday, the Legislature is following the Judiciary, while Constitution is silent.”

माननीय सर्वोच्च न्यायालय ने कल फ्लोर टेस्ट का निर्देश दिया है, लेकिन मध्यप्रदेश विधानसभा की कार्य सूची अभी तक जारी नहीं की गई है।

क्या कमलनाथ सरकार, स्वयं को सुप्रीम कोर्ट से ऊपर समझती है?

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) March 19, 2020

Also Read: Row over new MP Congress chief, Jyotiraditya Scindia gets support of “500” members

Meanwhile, reacting to the Supreme Court’s directions for holding floor test on Friday, CM Kamal Nath tweeted on Thursday evening, “We’re studying every aspect of the SC directions and will decide after consulting with legal experts.”

The CM has also convened a press conference at 12 noon on Friday at the CM House. Earlier, addressing the Congress MLAs on Thursday evening, Nath said that all Congress MLAs were united. Meanwhile, rumours are rife about the CM resigning or the Congress challenging the SC directives before larger bench on Friday.

After the Speaker accepted the resignation of all 22 Congress MLAs, the party now has 92 legislators. The BJP has 107 seats in the House, which now has an effective strength of 206, with the majority mark being 104.

Even if the rebel MLAs fail to join the BJP, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led party will comfortabley form a govenrment in the state.