Kamal Nath has made repeated pleas to bring back rebel MLAs from Bengaluru. (File)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister resigned today, hours before a floor test to prove his majority in the state assembly as per Supreme Court's Thursday order. The Congress government in the state had plunged into crisis after exit of 22 MLAs followed by former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia's high profile crossover from the Congress to the BJP.
This comes after the Supreme Court gave a 5 pm deadline for the floor test, responding to a petition by the BJP. Ordering the session to be reconvened on Friday, the court said, "There will be only one agenda - whether the government enjoys strength. The state of uncertainty in Madhya Pradesh should be effectively resolved by a floor test".
Last night, making the collapse of the government in Madhya Pradesh all but certain, state assembly speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati accepted the resignations of the remaining 16 rebel Congress MLAs who have been in Bengaluru since March 9. Resignation of six rebel MLAs was accepted last week.
The acceptance of the resignations brought down the total strength of the assembly to 206 where the ruling Congress with 92 members and seven allied MLAs is now at least five short of a simple majority of 104. The opposition BJP with 107 MLAs is three more than the simple majority.
Here are the Highlights on Madhya Pradesh government crisis:
Shivraj Singh Chouhan calls off dinner for BJP MLAs
Hours after the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh fell, BJP leader and frontrunner
for the CM's post, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, cancelled a dinner of the saffron party's legislators on Friday night due to the coronavirus outbreak. Sources said Mr Chouhan's dinner was to garner support for his claim to the CM's post.
Independents, SP, BSP legislators with us, says BJP MLA
Moments after the Kamal Nath government fell, a senior BJP leader said Independent MLAs as well those from BSP and SP had shifted their support to the saffron party.
Minister in Kamal Nath government offers support to new dispensation
An Independent MLA who was a minister in the Kamal Nath government, which fell on Friday, said he would extend support to the new dispensation in Madhya Pradesh to ensure the development of his constituency.
Independent MLA Pradeep Jaiswal set to join BJP
Pradeep Jaiswal, an independent MLA in the Assembly, is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The development comes soon after Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath tendered his resignation just hours ahead of the scheduled floor test.
Dismantling elected governments a habit of the BJP: Ashok Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said democracy was blatantly killed in Madhya Pradesh with the fall of the Kamal Nath-led state government there.
He said dismantling a democratically elected government for lust of power has become a habit of the BJP.
Sweets being distributed at BJP office in Bhopal
Kamal Nath government toppled due to their own internal conflict: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Satyameva Jayate, Tweets Jyotiradiyta Scindia After Kamal Nath Quits
"In Madhya Pradesh, this is a win for people. I have always believed that politics should be a platform for public service... but the state government was misled in its approach. Truth has won once again... Satyameva Jayate," tweets BJP's Jyotiradiyta Scindia
"Denigration of democratic values," says Kamal Nath in his resignation to Governor Lalji Tandon.
He also tweeted and thanked the people of the state.
"Will resign," says Kamal Nath ahead of floor test.
"I do not need a letter from the BJP... I need a letter from the people to tell me how I am performing. The BJP has plotted to take down a government that is changing the face of Madhya Pradesh," says Kamal Nath in his media address.
"We had started taking concrete steps to finish the mafia in the state... it is the BJP that did not want them to be finished... so they plotted against us": Kamal Nath to reporters
Kamal Nath Hits Out At BJP Ahead OF Floor Test: Pointers Of His Media Address- In 15 month, I have tried to give a new direction to the state
- In my forty years of politics I believed in development
- BJP had 15 years, I had 15 months
- I proved my majority three times
- By destabilising my government, it's a betrayal of seven and a half crore population of the state
I had accepted 16 resignations last night. Now I have also accepted resignation of Sharad Kol (BJP MLA). He had earlier said that he was forcefully made to resign but after looking at his documents and that he didn't meet me personally, it didn't seem like that: Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker to news agency ANI
In 2018 the mandate was clear - it was for the Congress: Kamal Nath to reporters
Wait For Presses: Congress's Digvijay Singh On Reports Of Kamal Nath Resigning
The resignation of MLAs loyal to former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who quit last week and joined the BJP, has endangered the Congress government of Kamal Nath in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress insists that the MLAs are being held captive in Bengaluru in BJP-ruled Karnataka, even though many of them have been regularly posting videos saying they came of their own volition.
Supreme Court had on Thursday ordered a floor test in the state Assembly to be held today. A bench of the top court, headed by Justice DY Chandrachud said the floor test would be held by show of hands in accordance with the law and it should be completed by 5 pm on Friday.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Thursday said he was in "secret talks" with rebel Congress MLAs who threaten his government's survival and was confident of retaining his majority. "If they were brainwashed, they would not have called me," Kamal Nath told NDTV, ruling out the possibility of his predecessor Shivraj Singh Chouhan returning to power with the support of the rebels.
While announcing the acceptance of the 16 remaining resignations with effect from March 10, the Speaker said, "In the wake of the Supreme Court directions on Thursday, the legislature is following the judiciary, while the constitution is silent."