MP Speaker accepts resignation of 16 rebel Cong MLAs

Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati accepted the resignation of the remaining 16 MLAs loyal to former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on late Thursday night.

The development comes hours after the Supreme Court directed to hold a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly by 5 pm on Friday.

"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.

The Speaker had earlier accepted the resignations of six ministers who had resigned from their membership.

Meanwhile, Assembly's principal secretary A P Singh said that a special session of the house as per the directives of the Supreme Court will be held from 2 pm on Friday and will conclude by 5 pm.

In the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly, the actual strength of the house at present is 228 as two seats are lying vacant.

With the resignation of 16 more MLAs, the strength of Congress has come down to 92 from 108.

Earlier, six ministers had resigned which brought down the ruling party's strength from 114 to 108.

On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party has 107 members in the House. However, the BJP had paraded 106 legislators before the governor on Monday as one of its MLAs, Narayan Tripathi, was absent and seen with the Congress legislators after the assembly proceedings.

The Bahujan Samaj Party has two members in the House while the Samajwadi Party has one besides four independents. All these MLAs -- BSP, SP and independents -- had extended their support to the Congress during the formation of the government in 2018.

In the renewed situation, the majority mark is 104.