MP politics LIVE: We came to Bengaluru voluntarily, say Congress rebel MLAs

Madhya Pradesh floor test: The Congress-led government has been pushed to the brink following the resignation of 22 MLAs. Stay tuned for MP political crisis LIVE updates at Business Standard

Madhya Pradesh Political Crisis LIVE Updates: Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh arrived at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Wednesday to meet rebel Congress MLAs. Addressing the media after he was not given the permission to sit on a dharna, Singh said, "My 22 MLAs have been held captive here in Bengaluru. They want to talk to me. Their phones have been snatched. Allow me to meet them."

Earlier, Governor Lalji Tandon had sent a letter to Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati on Wednesday, praising him for taking an "impartial and courageous" decision in accepting the resignations of six ministers. After former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the Congress, 22 MLAs of the ruling party also submitted their resignations, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government to the brink of a collapse. Of them, the speaker has accepted the resignations of six MLAs.

The governor had asked Chief Minister Kamal Nath to face a floor test on Tuesday. Following this, Nath rushed to meet him at Raj Bhavan, where he assured Tandon that he had the numbers for a test.

"If someone says, that we (Congress) don't have the numbers, they can bring the no-confidence motion, why should I conduct a floor test? What problem do the 16 (rebel Congress) MLAs have? They should put forth their opinion," he said.

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

11:00 AM

Supreme Court begins hearing the petition filed by former Madhya Pradesh CM & BJP leader, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and others to hold floor test in the State Assembly.

8:01 AM

Kamal Nath, Lalji Tandon in war of letters over MP political crisis

In the age of e-mail, two constitutional functionaries of Madhya Pradesh — Chief Minister Kamal Nath and governor Lalji Tandon (pictured) — are probably trying to revive the lost era of letter writing. In the last one week itself, both have written several letters to one another. On Monday, Tandon wrote to Nath, asking him to hold a floor test on Tuesday and stating that failure to do so would mean the chief minister did not enjoy a majority in the Assembly. On Tuesday, Nath replied:
 

“Keeping into account all facts, I have forwarded your direction to me to the Assembly Speaker for an appropriate action.” He also marked a copy of this letter to the Speaker, N P Prajapati. Before this exchange, Nath had shot off a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. “Please use your power as the Union Home Minister so that Congress MLAs held captive can safely reach Madhya Pradesh and participate in the Assembly session without any allurement and fear,” he said. READ ON...

3:10 PM

Mukul Rohatgi says Congress wants rebel MLAs to go to Bhopal so that they can be lured and it can do horse trading

2:49 PM

MP Cong in SC seeks deferment of trust vote till by-polls, says heavens won't fall if govt continues

Madhya Pradesh Congress Party sought in the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the trust vote in the state assembly be deferred till by-polls for the vacant seats are concluded, saying "heavens are not going to fall" if its government led by Kamal Nath is allowed to remain in office till then.

 

A bench, comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta, was hearing cross petitions filed by former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan and MP Congress on the ongoing political crisis in the state after 22 rebel MLAs of the ruling combine purportedly offered to resign.

 

"Heavens are not going to fall if Congress government is allowed to continue till by-polls and the Shivraj Singh Chouhan's government must not be saddled on the people," said senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Congress.

2:44 PM

We came to Bengaluru voluntarily, say Congress rebel MLAs

Rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh who are staying at a resort in Bengaluru, on Wednesday said they went there voluntarily.

 

Issuing video messages, the rebels said they didn't want to meet senior party leader Digvijay Singh who was briefly detained near the resort this morning.

 

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and other leaders of the Congress have been claiming that the rebel MLAs were being held in captivity by BJP. READ ON...

1:03 PM

A Congress delegation to meet Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon today at 1.45 PM

12:55 PM

Probe needed on resignation letters of rebel MLAs submitted to Speaker: MP Congress tells SC

The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that a probe is needed on the resignation letters of its rebel MLAs submitted by BJP leaders to the Speaker of the state Assembly.

 

The Congress Party alleged before a bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta that resignations of its rebel MLAs in Madhya Pradesh were extracted by force and coercion and they did not act as per their free will. READ ON...

12:42 PM

Kailash Vijayvargiya takes dig at Digvijaya

BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya has taken a dig at senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh who tried to meet rebel Congress MLAs lodged at a resort in Bengaluru on Wednesday morning leading to dramatic scenes at the resort with police dragging him away and taking him into preventive detention.

 

Vijayavargiya tweeted: "Drama in Bengaluru. We are blessed that this man is in politics. He would have proved to be a better actor than Amitabh Bachchan if he were in bollywood," referring to Digvijaya Singh who reached Bengaluru on Wednesday morning tried to enter into a five star hotel where rebel Congress MLAs are putting up.

11:56 AM

Today we're in a peculiar situation. Public of MP trusted Congress, says advocate representing MP Congress MLAs

Petition in SC by BJP's SS Chouhan, and others to hold floor test in MP Assembly: Advocate Dushyant Dave, representing MP Congress MLAs, argued before SC 'today we're in a peculiar situation. Public of MP trusted Congress. The single largest party had won vote of confidence that day'

11:41 AM

9:01 AM

If Shivraj has majority, then why he is so worried: Digvijaya Singh

If Shivraj Singh Chouhan has the majority, then why he is so worried, asked Madhya Pradesh former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday.

 

"Why is he so worried if he has the majority? Shivraj is in a hurry to be in power," Singh told reporters here when asked about Chouhan meeting Governor Lalji Tandon. READ ON...

8:58 AM

SC to hear today plea of BJP leaders seeking urgent floor test in Madhya Pradesh

The Supreme Court will on Wednesday hear the petition filed by former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and others seeking a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly amidst the ongoing political crisis in the state.

 

On Tuesday, the top court while hearing the petition, had issued notices to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati among others. READ ON...

8:36 AM

BJP govt in state is misusing the power in Karnataka: DK Shivakumar

DK Shivakumar, Karnataka Congress president: BJP govt in state is misusing the power. We have our own political strategy, we know how to handle the situation. He's not alone here. I'm here. I know how to support him. But I don't want to create a law & order situation in Karnataka.

7:10 AM

My MLAs have been kept in Bengaluru hotel and their phones have been snatched, says Digvijaya Singh

Digvijaya Singh, Congress: I'm a Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh, voting is scheduled for 26 March. My MLAs have been kept here, they want to speak to me, their phones have been snatched, police is not letting me speak to them saying there is a security threat to MLAs. 

7:08 AM

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh sits on dharna near Ramada hotel in Bengaluru, allegedly after he was not allowed by police to visit it

 

Bengaluru: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh sits on dharna near Ramada hotel, allegedly after he was not allowed by police to visit it. 21 Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs are lodged at the hotel.