New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon on Monday has written a letter to Chief Minister Kamal Nath directing him to conduct the floor test on March 17.

“Conduct the floor test on 17th March otherwise it will be considered that you actually don’t have the majority in the state assembly,” Tandon stated.
Earlier, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan claimed that the Kamal Nath government lacks a majority and appealed to Governor Tandon to order a floor test.

“The Chief Minister is running away from the trust vote as he knows that the government lacks a majority. BJP has the majority and we have appealed to the Governor to order the conduct of a floor test at the earliest. He has assured us that he will protect our constitutional rights,” Chouhan had said.

MP Governor Lalji Tandon writes to CM Kamal Nath

#MadhyaPradesh Governor Lalji Tandon, writes to CM Kamal Nath, stating ‘Conduct the floor test on 17th March otherwise it will be considered that you actually don’t have the majority in the state assembly.’ pic.twitter.com/TvGx4PTr5r

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2020

The Madhya Pradesh Assembly, which met on Monday morning for the Budget session was adjourned immediately after the Governor’s address till March 26, in view of coronavirus pandemic.

The BJP MLAs led by former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Governor Lalji Tandon at the Raj Bhawan.

Assuring the BJP legislatures, Governor said, “Appropriate action will be taken. Be assured that no one will violate your rights.”

PC Sharma, Madhya Pradesh Minister: The letter from the Governor is surprising and it seems that he is under pressure. https://t.co/DUFvq2Qtb0 pic.twitter.com/3CdW5OWgWa

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2020

On Saturday, the Madhya Pradesh Governor had instructed Kamal Nath to face a trust vote after his address to the state assembly. Today, the chief minister wrote to Governor Tandon and asked for a postponement — he said some of his MLAs were being held hostage and felt the vote should only be held when everyone is free.

Political crisis in Madhya Pradesh

The development comes amid the political crisis that has engulfed the state after Jyotiraditya Scindia, a prominent face of the Congress, resigned from the party and joined the BJP.

Scindia’s decision to leave Congress was followed by the resignation from 22 party MLAs loyal to him.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan has also filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh assembly amid the ongoing political crisis in the state. He sought urgent direction from the apex court to the Speaker to conduct a floor test as the latter had postponed it to March 26. (ANI)