MP govt has lost its majority, running away from floor test: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the Kamal Nath-led state government has lost its majority and is running away from the floor test in the state assembly.

Chouhan made the comments after Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Sunday met Governor Lalji Tandon at Raj Bhavan here.

"The Madhya Pradesh government has lost its majority. That is why they are running away from it. We will ask the government to bring a confidence motion tomorrow (Monday). The Chief Minister has said he wants a floor test. Then why is he not doing it? Our only demand is a floor test," Chouhan told media persons here.

"The Governor has ordered the government to conduct a floor test in the assembly after his address. The Chief Minister is saying it is up to the Speaker and not him. What happens in the assembly is decided by the government. The Speaker works on what is decided by the government," the BJP leader added.

After meeting the Governor, Nath said that he is ready for the floor test and informed he will speak to the Speaker on Monday.

"I received the Governor's phone call. He called me here to meet him to discuss the smooth functioning of the state assembly. I told the Governor that I will speak to the Speaker tomorrow. It (floor test) will be decided by Speaker," the Chief Minister told reporters.

"I have told the Governor that I am ready for the floor test and the MLAs who have been held captive should be released. I will speak to the Speaker tomorrow (Monday) about it (floor test)," he said.

As political uncertainty developed in Madhya Pradesh, BJP and Congress had moved their legislators out of the state and lodged them in luxury hotels, apparently in a bid to keep their respective flock intact.

The development comes amid the political crisis that has engulfed the state after Jyotiraditya Scindia, a prominent face of the Congress, resigned from the party last week to join BJP.

Scindia's decision to leave Congress was followed by the resignation from 22 party MLAs loyal to him.