Madhya Pradesh: All eyes on Speaker Prajapati after Governor direction

BHOPAL: All eyes are on Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati as the budget session of Madhya Pradesh assembly is set to begin on Monday with governor Lalji Tandon’s address.

The governor directed chief minister Kamal Nath late Saturday night to seek a trust vote soon after his address. Tandon in his letter said that since the government was in a minority, the only work the House would do after the governor’s address was to seek a trust vote.

“Now, when the governor has said that the government has lost majority, we believe that Speaker will act as per rules and conduct the floor test,” BJP leader and party’s chief whip Narottam Mishra told ET. Mishra has issued a whip to all BJP MLAs to be present in the House on Monday. Currently, BJP MLAs are in Manesar, Haryana, and are likely to reach Bhopal only by Monday morning.


Gopal Bhargava, leader of opposition in MP assembly, and Mishra met the governor on Sunday, requesting him to order that voting for a floor test be conducted through raising of hands, not by machines.

Congress, in the meanwhile, maintained that it was up to the Speaker to decide whether to take a trust vote or not. “What will happen in the assembly is the prerogative of the Speaker,” said state minister PC Sharma, adding: “You should take note that some Congress MLAs have been kidnapped and kept in Bengaluru and the CM has written to the governor and the Union home minister for their release.”

Congress asserted that governor can advise or direct the Speaker but he cannot order the Speaker.

Congress MLAs, who were in Jaipur, returned to Bhopal in the afternoon and were moved to a hotel. On Monday, the MLAs will be taken directly to the assembly from there.

Prajapati said he “will act as per the situation. I waited for MLAs to come and tender their resignations in person but they haven’t come. Various news and videos are coming but why no one has come to me. As their guardian, I am worried about them”.

In Sunday’s Cabinet meeting, MP’s Congress government also spoke about Covid-19. After the governor’s address, Congress MLAs are likely to raise the Covid-19 issue in the House for getting it adjourned. “Any such decision shall be taken in the House itself and the Speaker will decide.”