Ahead of the floor test in Madhya Pradesh assembly scheduled for Monday, the Congress MLAs lodged at a resort in Jaipur, left for Bhopal on Sunday morning. Senior Congress leader Harish Rawat, who was accompanying the MLAs, said even the rebel MLAs in Bengaluru are in touch with them.
Madhya Pradesh Governor has ordered a floor test in the assembly on Monday.
The MLAs returned to Bhopal and checked in at the Marriott Hotel. Congress’s Kantilal Bhuria said there are 112 MLAs at the resort.
Meanwhile, the group of rebel MLAs holed up in Bengaluru have been shifted from Prestige Golfshire Club to Ramada hotel in Yelahanka.
While leaving for Bhopal, Harish Rawat said, We are ready for the floor test tomorrow and we are confident of winning it. We are not nervous, BJP is. Those (rebel) MLAs are also in touch with us.
Meanwhile, Section 144 has been imposed in and around the Bhopal airport ahead of the arrival of the MLAs. Security has also been heightened.
Brijendra Singh Rathore, Madhya Pradesh Minister, told India Today TV, “The Governor does not have the right to order a floor test. That is the prerogative of the Speaker”.
Some other Congress MLAs of Madhya Pradesh, while speaking with India Today TV at Jaipur airport, said that the Governor does not have the right to hold a floor test. They also mentioned that the Kamal Nath government will stay and that they will take part in the floor test.
Over 80 Congress MLAs had been brought to Jaipur in a bid to keep its flock together after Jyotiraditya Scindia’s rebellion and the resignation of 22 MLAs.
In an attempt to save the Kamal Nath government, the Congress had decided to keep its MLAs together in Rajasthan, which is ruled by Congress. Ashok Gehlot, a veteran Congress leader, had been entrusted with the job of keeping the Congress MLAs together in a preemptive bid to thwart poaching attempts.
The Congress MLAs, while leaving from the Buena Vista resort in Jaipur, were also seen showing the victory sign.
Madhya Pradesh Governor, Lalji Tandon, has ordered a floor test in Madhya Pradesh assembly to be held on March 16. The Congress has decided to fly in its MLAs from Jaipur.
During their stay in Jaipur, the Congress MLAs were seen holding long parleys to strategise for the floor test in Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
Senior Congress leaders, including CM Ashok Gehlot, party General Secretary Mukul Wasnik, KC Venugopal and several others visited the resort to hold discussions with the MLAs.
