PC Sharma reiterates demand for rebel Congress MLAs to be brought back to MP Assembly for floor test

After the rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh clarified that they were staying away from Bhopal on their own, state Law Minister PC Sharma on Tuesday reiterated the demand that they should be brought back to the state.

"The press conference should be held in Bhopal if they are not afraid. They are being held captive by BJP there. Why was the press conference held in Bengaluru and not Bhopal? We have written to the Home Minister too. They should be brought back for the floor test to be held," Sharma told ANI here.

He further defended Speaker NP Prajapati's move of adjourning the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, in view of coronavirus by saying, "Coronavirus has caused havoc around the globe, thousands of people have lost their lives, the Prime Minister himself conducted video conferencing with SAARC nation heads, many Vidhan Sabha Assemblies have been adjourned, the Madhya Pradesh Speaker similarly adjourned the house till March 26, following which the proceedings will begin."

The Congress leader further said that the matter is sub-judice before the Supreme Court and, therefore, its judgement should be awaited.

Earlier in the day, rebel Congress leader Govind Singh Rajput said that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath doesn't even give 15 minutes to legislators for discussing issues related to their constituencies. He also claimed that the group of rebel legislators was not being held captive.

Speaking at the press briefing of Congress rebel MLAs in Bengaluru on Tuesday, he said, "Kamal Nath Ji never heard us even for 15 minutes. Then whom should we talk to for development work in our constituency?"

"We have not been kept captive, we have come here willingly. Secondly, when the Madhya Pradesh government was formed we were there in the opposition for 15 years. When the government was formed Rahul Gandhi brought two faces in light--Scindia (Jyotiraditya Scindia) Ji and Kamal Nath Ji. Scindia Ji was not made the CM, rather Kamal Nath Ji became the CM of MP. We thought everything will continue to be normal, but the CM's behavior changed later," he added.

Rajput asserted that Congress MLAs staying in Jaipur were also "sad" but they were helpless. If set free, half of them will come running to Bengaluru, he added.