BHOPAL: Chief minister Kamal Nath on Tuesday replied to governor Lalji Tandon ’s letter in which he was asked to prove majority numbers in a floor-test in the assembly or it would be considered that his government does not have majority support. Replying to governor Tandon’s letter sent on Monday, the chief minister wrote, “Your dictum for a floor test in March 17, 2020 or else you consider that I have lost majority support is baseless and unconstitutional. I have come to know that BJP leaders have filed a petition in the court as well.”Kamal Nath’s letter dated March 17 said, “You mentioned in your letter that the proceedings of the House was adjourned till March 26, 2020 but prefer to remain silent on the reasons for the deferment.” Chief minister Nath then explained the present Covid 19 crisis and the Union government’s advisory on it.“You must be aware that our country and the whole world is facing a threat from Coronavirus . WHO (World Health Organisation) has already declared it a Pandemic and the government of India issued an advisory in which there are directions not to hold any function or crowd a public place,” the chief minister reasoned. “It was for this that the speaker adjourned the House till March 26,” he said.He further argued, “In your letter you regretted that I tried to skip the floor-test for which you had set a deadline. I would like to bring to your attention that I have proved the majority in the House on several occasions in the past 15 months.”The chief minister argued that BJP is claiming he does not have a majority. “They can bring a No Confidence motion to get a majority tested on the floor of the House. I have also come to know that they have given notice for a No Confidence Motion which is pending before the Speaker. The Speaker will take a decision on the notice according to rules and norms of the state assembly and it would be proved as to who has majority in the House,” the chief minister’s letter argued.In the letter, CM Kamal Nath reminded the Governor that he has been reminding him about the 16 Congress MLAs being held hostage by BJP in Bangaluru. “I have been reminding you through letters and personal interaction that 16 MLAs of the Congress party have been held hostage in a Bangaluru resort where BJP leaders are also present,” the letter said.“On the one hand, Congress MLAs are not being permitted to speak to or meet anyone and are being stopped from coming to Bhopal. And on the other hand, BJP leaders are in touch with them, putting them under pressure through threats and allurements, asking them to give fake statements to the media,” CM Nath wrote.“Let these 16 Congress MLAs held captive in Bangaluru be freed. Let them live without fear in the free atmosphere of their homes so they are in a position to make decisions on their own,” he added.The governor in his letter sent on Monday had said he did not like the language and the response of chief minister Kamal Nath earlier letter. To this, the chief minister wrote, “I have always observed dignity and decorum in 40 years of my political career. After reading your letter dated March 16, I am pained since you have accused me of not abiding by Parliamentary norms.”