Madhya Pradesh: While Congress is buying time, BJP wants trust vote as early as possible

BHOPAL: Both the ruling Congress and opposition BJP are busy playing a game of political one-upmanship in Madhya Pradesh. If chief minister Kamal Nath’s residence is the epicentre of Congress’ strategic moves, BJP is banking on an immediate floor test in the assembly.

However, the Speaker’s office on Sunday night hinted that the test may not happen on Monday. According to a media release from the Speaker’s office, Monday’s list of business includes the governor’s address and the motion of thanks on the address.

Senior Congress leaders — Digvijaya Singh, Vivek Tankha, ministers Tarun Bhanot, Jitu Patwari and others — who held meetings at the CM’s residence were unable to get in touch with the rebel MLAs in Bengaluru on Sunday.


After the Speaker accepted the resignations of six MLAs close to Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday, Congress hoped that it would act as a deterrent to 16 other MLAs staying in Bengaluru. “No one wants to face an election and we have offered cabinet berth to all the rebel MLAs,” said a senior Congress leader.

The party is banking on the Speaker to decide the course of the event as it happened in Karnataka assembly last year. “We are ready for the floor test but our MLAs should be here. How do we know that the statements they are issuing from Bangalore are not a forced one,” MP finance minister Tarun Bhanot told ET.

Knowing well that these MLAs might not turn up on Monday, the party is considering legal options too. “We have all the options open,” Tankha said on Saturday.

BJP power centres in Bhopal — Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Narottam Mishra and Gopal Bhargava — are working in close co-ordination on their next moves. While Chouhan is shuttling between Bhopal and Delhi, it is Mishra who is holding the fort in Bhopal. “We will move our claim to form the government once the current government losses vote of confidence,” Mishra told ET.

BJP leaders said if the Speaker could accept the resignation of six MLAs, he will have to accept the resignation other MLAs on similar grounds and the party might approach court if needed. In Bhopal, former advocate general Pushpendra Kaurav joined BJP leaders when they met the governor on Saturday.

If Congress MLAs from Bengaluru don’t reach Bhopal, the Nath government will be in a minority. It currently has 99 MLAs along with the support of four independents, two BSP MLAs and one SP MLA.