Ahead of MP trust vote, Cong minister calls for coronavirus

A day ahead of a floor trust in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, a senior minister in the beleaguered Kamal Nath government sought coronavirus tests on his party MLAs who have returned from Jaipur as well as those currently ensconced in Haryana and Bengaluru.

MP public relations minister PC Sharma on Sunday said the novel coronavirus outbreak has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, and several measures, including temporary shut down of schools, colleges and restrictions on gathering of more than 20 people, have been taken.

"The MLAs who have returned from Jaipur and also those who have gone to Haryana and Benguluru should undergo coronavirus tests. It is important as the virus has spread in Jaipur and Haryana," he said.

He said the Assemblies of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Maharashtra had been adjourned due to the coronavirus outbreak and there was even a demand to adjourn the current session of Parliament.

Meanwhile, a team of doctors reached hotel Courtyard by Marriot in MP Nagar here, where Congress MLAs are put up after coming from Jaipur, for coronavirus screening.

State Minister of Health and Finance Tarun Bhanot had earlier said the legislators would be screened for the virus, following which the team of doctors arrived at the hotel.

Talking to reporters, Congress MLA Kunal Choudhary said Jaipur was a tourist destination and sees footfalls from abroad as well and "so coronavirus screening was necessary".

Congress sources dropped hints that its MLAs currently in Bengaluru as well as BJP legislators would be screened for novel coronavirus once they return here.

Meanwhile, responding to a query on whether the state Assembly's budget session would begin on Monday and if the trust vote would take place on the same day as directed by Governor Lalji Tandon, minister Sharma said the speaker would take a call on these matters.

The Kamal Nath-led Congress government in the state is fighting for survival after Jyotiraditya Scindia quit and joined the BJP, and 22 of his supporter MLAs submitted their resignations.