Kamal Nath Resigns As Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Ahead Of Floor Test

Congress leader Kamal Nath on Friday submitted his resignation as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh to the governor, just moments ahead of a floor test mandated by the Supreme Court. 

In a press conference where he announced his decision to resign, he said that while the BJP got 15 years to serve the people of the state, he only got 15 months. He said that his government delivered on 400 of the promises mentioned in its manifesto in these 15 months. 

He also said that his MLAs were being held “hostage” in Bengaluru and the truth will soon come out. 

The Supreme Court had on Thursday directed Speaker N P Prajapati to reconvene a special session of the Assembly on Friday to conduct the floor test of the Kamal Nath government. 

The court was hearing cross pleas by senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan and of MP Congress party. Chouhan had approached the top court after the Madhya Pradesh Assembly was adjourned on Monday till March 26 over coronavirus (Covid-19) concerns without a floor test. 

The Madhya Pradesh Congress Legislature party (MPCLP) had moved the top court alleging that its 16 MLAs have been held captive in Bengaluru and had sought a direction to the Centre and the BJP-led Karnataka government to grant it access to communicate with the MLAs, according to PTI.

The Speaker accepted the resignation of the 16 MLAs on Thursday. “I have accepted the resignation of the 16 MLAs who have filed petition in the Supreme Court. Based on what they have stated there, I am accepting resignation of these 16 MLAs also,” Prajapati told reporters, according to The Hindu .

The Speaker had earlier accepted the resignation of six Congress MLAs.

(With PTI inputs)