Bhopal: A meeting of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Legislature Party (MPCLP) started at the residence of Chief Minister Kamal Nath here Friday ahead of the Supreme Court-directed floor test in the state Assembly.
The apex court had Thursday ordered the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker to conduct a floor test by 5.00pm Friday, leaving the fate of the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government hanging by a thread after the resignation of 22 Congress MLAs. The special session of the Assembly is scheduled to start at 2.00pm.
“Yes we are going to the chief minister’s residence, where are going to draw our final strategy for the House,” a Congress MLA said before heading to the meeting. When asked about the speculations that the ruling party MLAs would resign en masse, he said, “I do not think so. The meeting is going to decide our future course of action.”
Meanwhile, Congress insiders said that the party was not in favour of filing a review petition in the apex court against its direction given Thursday.
Late Thursday night, Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati had accepted the resignation of the remaining 16 MLAs loyal to former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia. With their resignation, the strength of the Congress has come down to 92 from 108.
In the floor test, the Congress is sure to lose as the arithmetic of the Assembly seems to be in favour of the BJP. The Assembly has 230 MLAs, of which 24 seats are vacant. A majority in the House of 206 MLAs will require the support of 104 MLAs. The BJP has 107 MLAs, and the Congress 92. The Congress has the support of the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and Independent MLAs, which totals up to 99.
However, Chief Minister Kamal Nath has called a press conference before the session. The Chief Minister’s press conference is considered important because he may make a big announcement.
Agencies