Trouble mounts for Kamal Nath? SP & BSP MLAs reach Guwahati; may defect to BJP: Sources

Amid the political crisis in Madhya Pradesh, sources said that two MLAs, one from Samajwadi Party and another from BSP are in Guwahati. They are expected to defect to the BJP as per sources. They supported Kamal Nath government in 2018, however, sources added that they might meet some senior BJP leaders in Guwahati. 

This comes a day after Governor of Madhya Pradesh Lalji Tandon expelled 6 ministers who were at the Bengaluru resort on Friday and are believed to be in the Scindia camp. Kamal Nath had on Friday written to the Governor apprising him of the situation in the state, he had added, "invite a floor test in the forthcoming session of Madhya Pradesh Assembly already notified from March 16."

MP Guv expels 6 Scindia-camp ministers who had resigned, after CM Kamal Nath's letter

Kamal Nath's letter to the governor 

During his meeting with the governor earlier in the day, Kamal Nath handed over a letter to the Governor alleging horsetrading of MLAs by BJP and requested him to ensure 'release of MLAs held in captivity in Bengaluru'.  In the letter, the Madhya Pradesh chief minister underlined the "immoral, unethical, illegal" acts of the BJP in the state. Accusing the BJP of 'poaching', Kamal Nath raised questions of the 'Constitutional propriety, legislative procedure, and transparency.'  He claimed that the BJP first attempted on March 3 and 4, which was foiled by the Congress using 'allurement and force'. Later, on March 8, he alleged that in a second attempt the BJP whisked away 19 Congress MLAs to a Bengaluru resort in three chartered aircraft since then those legislators cannot be communicated. 

Kamal Nath calls current crisis "coronavirus in politics", ducks question on floor test

BJP seeks floor test in MP assembly

The BJP in Madhya Pradesh will seek a floor test on March 16 in the wake of 19 Congress MLAs resigning the state, a senior BJP leader said on Thursday. The 14-month-old Kamal Nath-led government has been facing a deep crisis following the resignation of 19 Congress MLAs after former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the party on Tuesday. "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," BJP's Narottam Mishra said.

Scindia's poster torn & smeared with ink in Bhopal prior to his arrival as BJP leader

MP Assembly's current scenario

With the current halfway mark at 114 in the 228-MLA assembly, BJP currently holds 107 MLAs of its own. Congress which held 114 MLAs - has now been reduced to 92 MLAs. The resignation of 22 MLAs, has also brought down the halfway mark to 103. 4 more MLAs are poised to resign, as per sources. The Speaker is yet to accept any of these resignations.

Kamal Nath writes to MP guv detailing BJP's 'horse-trading'. Read full letter here