Covid reprieve for Nath govt, no floor test for now : The Tribune India

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Covid reprieve for Nath govt, no floor test for now

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 16

Prove Majority ‘Today’

Guv Lalji Tandon has asked Congress govt to face a floor test in the House on March 17
“Prove majority or it should be understood you don’t have majority,” he wrote to CM
CM Kamal Nath later met Guv and ruled out a floor test saying his govt enjoyed majority

The Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh may have won some respite in the Assembly today but will it withstand the might of the BJP’s well-oiled behemoth, which also displayed its strength in Gujarat when it spooked Congress’ plans for the Rajya Sabha, remains the big question.

As the Budget session of the MP Assembly began today, Speaker NP Prajapati adjourned the House till March 26 citing Covid-19 threat amid demands by the BJP to hold a floor test as directed by Governor Lalji Tandon. BJP senior leaders later moved the Supreme Court for a floor test.

After a brief Governor’s address, the BJP raised the demand for a floor test. As expected, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Govind Singh brought up the issue of Covid threat in the country, referring to the Central Government’s advisory. Amid the uproar, the Speaker accepted the government’s plea, adjourning the House till March 26. While CM Nath managed to buy time to win back Congress MLAs “held captive by the BJP”, developments that followed indicated the saffron party was in no mood to either let up the pressure or wait till March 26.

As the CM wrote to the Governor saying holding of floor test was not possible in view of some MLAs of the Congress being held in “captivity” by the BJP with the help of Karnataka Police, his predecessor and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan and nine other party MLAs moved the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders cited the example of Parliament working “smoothly” amid the Covid scare to trash the Speaker’s decision.

“General visitors are not permitted but Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has been categorical about not curtailing the ongoing Budget session. All precautionary steps are being taken, reviews held and the situation closely monitored. We have asked members to be present in full force when the demand for grants for various ministers is passed,” BJP leaders say.

Observers, say once the “motion of disruption” (by the BJP) has been set, it “will not be easy for Nath to retrieve the situation”, citing the example of Gujarat to stress BJP’s “style of functioning”. The resignation of four Congress MLAs in Gujarat has dealt a blow to the party ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections.