BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh BJP appears to be divided on the demand that the Kamal Nath-led Congress government go for a floor test to prove its majority.
The former chief minister and BJP national vice-president Shivraj Singh Chouhan has distanced himself from party colleague and Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava’s demand for a special session of the Assembly and floor test.
“I’m not at all in favour of a floor test, as the BJP isn’t going to indulge in the politics of engineering defections or bringing down the government. Our party doesn’t believe in politics of horse trading,” Chouhan said on Wednesday.
“Our party doesn’t have to do anything, as the Congress government in MP is plagued with internal contradictions, exposed recently by BSP supremo Mayawati threatening to reconsider support after one of her party candidates withdrew his nomination papers in favour of a senior Congress leader,” said Chouhan.
On Monday, Chouhan’s former ministerial colleague had written to the Governor Anandiben Patel demanding convening of a special session.
Bhargava, an eight-time BJP legislator from Rehli seat of Sagar district, while claiming that the Nath government was in minority, demanded a floor test for the government to prove its majority in the 230-member state Assembly.
CM Nath responded that he was ready for a floor test. He also accused the BJP of approaching at least 10 Congress MLAs with offers of money and posts, if they helped bring down his government.
“All the 10 MLAs who told me they were being approached with offers, have assured that they are firmly with the government,” he said.