Cong, BJP issue whip to MLAs for floor test; Nath to brief media at 2 pm

Amid the political crisis, Kamal Nath is set to address the media here on Friday.

The ruling Congress and the opposition BJP on Thursday night issued whips to their respective legislators ahead of the Supreme Court-directed floor test of the Kamal Nath government in the Madhya Pradesh assembly on Friday.

In the whip issued here, BJP's chief whip Narottam Mishra told party MLAs to vote against the 15-month-old Nath government during the trust vote.

On the other hand, Congress chief whip and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Govind Singh told all party MLAs to remain present in the Assembly and vote in favour of the Nath government.

All the party MLAs should essentially be present during the proceeding (in the Assembly) on March 20 and vote in favour of the trust vote of the government, said the three -lone Congress whip.

The Nath government is teetering on the brink of a collapse after 22 Congress MLAs rebelled and resigned.

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati to convene a special session on Friday for conducting the floor test which must conclude by 5 pm.

Amid the political crisis, Kamal Nath is set to address the media at 2 pm on Friday.

Floor test mentioned in MP Assembly's list of business for Friday

The floor test where Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath will have to prove his majority in the 230-member state legislative Assembly, has been mentioned in Madhya Pradesh Assembly's list of business for Friday.

The floor test has been mentioned at 2 pm.

This comes after the Supreme Court had on Thursday ordered a floor test in the state Assembly to be held on Friday. A bench of the apex 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.