Ready for floor test, will speak to Speaker about it: Kamal Nath

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Sunday met Governor Lalji Tandon here and said that he is ready for the floor test in the state Assembly and will speak to the Speaker about it.

"I received 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," Nath told reporters after meeting the Governor.

"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.

The list of business of the state Assembly for Monday has scheduled for the Governor's address and Motion of Thanks. However, it does not mention the floor test of the Kamal Nath-led government.

The BJP had, earlier today, issued a whip to all its MLAs asking them to be present in the assembly for the floor test scheduled for March 16.

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.

Earlier, allegations were levelled against BJP for reportedly holding hostages at least eight Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh against their will at a luxury hotel in Manesar and Bengaluru.