MP crisis Highlight: Nath resigns, Congress should introspect, says Chouhan

Madhya Pradesh Political Crisis: Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Friday announced that his resignation to the governor. Stay tuned for MP floor test LIVE updates at Business Standard

MP floor test live updates: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath resigned Friday. Earlier in the day, he submitted his resignation letter to Governor Lalji Tandon, after his government fell short of the majority mark.

Before announcing his resignation, he hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for plotting against him.

The Supreme Court had on Thursday ordered chief minister Kamal Nath-led Congress government to face floor test in the MP Vidhan Sabha by today. As per the apex court's order, the trust vote has been mentioned in Madhya Pradesh Assembly's list of business for today at 2 pm. Ahead of the floor test, Kamal Nath addressed media to announce his resignation.

The Congress-led government had been pushed to the brink following of former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia. The state assembly speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati late Thursday night accepted the resignations of the remaining 16 rebel Congress MLAs who have been in Bengaluru since March 9.

With this, the resignations of all 22 MLAs in Scindia's camp brings down the total strength of the assembly to 206 where the ruling Congress with 92 members and seven allied MLAs -- at least five short of a simple majority of 104. The opposition BJP with 107 MLAs is three more than the simple majority.

Earlier, the state legislative Assembly had been adjourned until March 26 in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

5:55 PM

BSP, SP, Independent MLAs to support BJP in MP: Party leader

Moments after the Kamal Nath government fell in Madhya Pradesh on Friday, a senior BJP leader said Independent MLAs as well those from BSP and SP had shifted their support to the saffron party.

 

The BSP has two members in the House, the SP one and there are four Independents, all of whom were supporting the Congress government in the state.

5:44 PM

Minister in Kamal Nath govt offers support to new dispensation

An Independent MP MLA who was a minister in the Kamal Nath government, said he would extend support to the new dispensation in the state to ensure the development of his constituency.

 

The Waraseoni MLA and mining minister in the Nath government Pradeep Jaiswal said, "Today is the last day of the (Nath) government. I was elected thrice on a Congress ticket but didn't get a party ticket for the fourth time. I was not given a ticket by the Congress but people collected funds to get me elected."

 

 "I had earlier said I will support as long as there is a Kamal Nath government in the state...I don't have any option now. I will extend support to the new government to ensure development of my constituency," Jaiswal said, PTI reported.

3:57 PM

Congress should do some introspection: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

"If a govt topples due to their own internal conflict then we can't do anything. You can see that we were not in the game to form or topple a govt. They (Congress) should do some self introspection that what gave rise to such situation.": Shivraj Singh Chouhan

3:45 PM

What happened in MP is blatant killing of democracy in broad day light: Gehlot

3:42 PM

Kamal Nath drops 'Chief Minister' from his Twitter bio

3:00 PM

MP Governor accepts Kamal Nath's resignation

Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon on Friday accepted the resignation of Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

 

Nath had submitted his resignation to the governor at the Raj Bhawan here around 1 pm on Friday.

 

"The governor accepted the resignation of Kamal Nath and asked him to continue as the caretaker chief minister till the new CM takes charge," a Raj Bhawan official said.

2:58 PM

BJP MLAs show victory sign at the state assembly in Bhopal

2:52 PM

Kamal Nath, in his resignation letter, states that "All that has happened in Madhya Pradesh in the last two weeks is a new chapter in the weakening of democratic principles."

2:47 PM

Democracy defeated by 'hotel diplomacy': Congress

The Congress on Friday said democracy has been defeated by "hotel diplomacy" in Madhya Pradesh, after Kamal Nath resigned as the state chief minister.

 

Over 15 months after taking over, Nath resigned from the top post. The resignation came a day after the Supreme Court ordered the state assembly Speaker to conduct a floor test by 5 pm on Friday.

 

 

"Today democracy (was) defeated by hotel diplomacy," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said on Twitter.

2:44 PM

A victory for voters, says Jyotiraditya Scindia on Kamal Nath's resignation

Reacting to MP CM Kamal Nath's resignation, former Cong leader Jyotiraditya says

1:38 PM

Kamal Nath has submitted his resignation to Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon.

12:50 PM

12:31 PM

We acted against mafia, BJP didn't like that, says Kamal Nath

12:30 PM

BJP betrayed the people of MP, says Kamal Nath

12:29 PM

Since day 1, BJP plotted against us, says Kamal Nath