MP crisis: BJP demands floor test, Speaker asks rebels to clarify

New Delhi: With Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati issuing notices to 22 rebel MLAs, who have resigned from Congress, to appear before him by Friday to clarify if they have quit voluntarily or under pressure and the BJP seeking a floor test on March 16, it seems the fate of ongoing political crisis in the state may be stuck into a legal tangle.

Notably, the Congress has already moved a petition to the MP Assembly Speaker for disqualification of six ministers.

Commenting the ongoing crisis, BJP's chief whip in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Narottam Mishra said: "Since the government is in minority, we are going to request the Governor and the Assembly Speaker for a floor test on March 16 when the state Budget session begins."

Mishra added: "The Governor and the Speaker have the resignations of 22 MLAs. Now it is up to them to take a call."

The Congress has a very thin majority in the 228-member Assembly as prior to the rebellion, its tally was 114. It also has the support of four independents, two BSP MLAs and one from the SP, but some may now switch sides to the BJP.

If the resignations of the 22 MLAs are accepted, the strength of the Assembly will fall to 206 and in that case, the BJP, which has 107 MLAs, would comfortably form the government.