Shivraj Chouhan to take oath as CM at 9 PM, elected as state legislative party chief

Putting an end to the Madhya Pradesh crisis, BJP MP chief Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Monday will take oath as Chief Minister.  Moreover, BJP chief J P Nadda also called a BJP legislative party meet where Chouhan is most likely to be elected legislative party chief, with Gopal Bhargava stepping down. Kamal Nath had stepped down as Chief Minister ahead of the Supreme Court ordered floor test on March 20.

BIG: A day after MP CM Kamal Nath's resignation, rebel ex-Congress MLAs join BJP

All 22 rebel MLAs join BJP

On March 21, a day after Nath's resignation, all the 22 rebel Congress MLAs whose resignation was accepted by the Madhya Pradesh Speaker joined BJP in the presence of party president JP Nadda and Jyotiraditya Scindia. They arrived in the national capital from Bengaluru, where they were holed up for the last few days. Kamal Nath - during his resignation speech - had alleged BJP’s involvement in the 22 MLAs deserting the Congress camp which ultimately reduced the government to a minority.

Salman Khurshid questions BJP's 'commitment to democracy' after Kamal Nath resigns

Madhya Pradesh political crisis

The crisis in the Kamal Nath government started when Congress alleged BJP of poaching 4 MLAs - two of which returned to Kamal Nath's folds. Soon, 22 MLAs including 6 cabinet ministers - loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia flew to Bengaluru and submitted their resignations. While Congress expelled the six cabinet ministers and the Speaker accepted their resignations, the biggest jolt occurred when former Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia formally submitted his resignation to Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi and then joined the BJP.

While the BJP had been demanding a floor test, the Congress adjourned the Assembly till March 26 amid Coronavirus. After both parties approached the Supreme Court, the observed that the MP Assembly session should be reconvened on Friday for the sole purpose of holding a floor test by show of hands, while hearing a plea of BJP leaders seeking an immediate floor test. This was immediately followed by the Speaker accepting the remaining 16 MLAs' resignation, officially reducing Congress to a minority government.

Kamal Nath unleashes bitter post-resignation attack; says Madhya Pradesh has lost all hope

 With the current halfway mark at 114 in the 228-MLA assembly, BJP  holds 107 MLAs of its own. Congress which held 114 MLAs - has now been reduced to 92, with the acceptance of 22 MLAs resignation. Overall the halfway mark has now been reduced to 103 - which can be surpassed by BJP alone.

Insult to injury? After Kamal Nath's resignation as MP CM; Independent MLA jumps to BJP