New Delhi: Amid the political crisis in Madhya Pradesh triggered by the resignation of 22 rebel Congress MLAs three days ago, Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Friday met state Governor Lalji Tandon accusing the BJP of horse-trading and requesting for a floor test.

Nath requested for the release of the Congress MLAs held captive in Bengaluru as he urged for the vote of confidence in the forthcoming session of the Assembly that starts on March 16.

The meeting between Nath and Tandon, who returned to Bhopal last night after a Holi vacation, came as deadline for rebel MLAs to appear before Assembly Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati neared. They were expected to submit their official resignations later in the day.

In a letter to the governor, he said, “the BJP on March 8 arranged three Charted aircraft to whisk away 19 MLAs of the Congress party to Bengaluru. Since then 19 of them are incommunicado in a resort arranged by BJP.”

“In these disturbing circumstances, the very edifice of democracy is in danger. Trust of a transparent democratic process seems lost. It merits full investigation and enquiry, so that persons responsible for de-railing the democratic institutional process are explosed and punished,” he added.

In the 230 member House, the Congress has 114 MLAs and the support of four Independents, one Samajwadi Party MLAs and two Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs. The BJP has 109 MLAs. Two seats are vacant.