Madhya Pradesh budget session begins amid opposition protest, house adjourned

The Madhya Pradesh budget session began on Monday amid a turbulent start as Opposition Congress MLAs disrupted Governor Mangubhai Patel’s address , forcing the House to adjourn for the day.

The disruption erupted when Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar raised objections to the governor’s remarks about the state government’s commitment to provide clean drinking water. Singhar highlighted the recent water contamination deaths in Indore , where 16 people lost their lives in the Bhagirathpura area in December 2025 due to vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated water, as per the government’s ‘death audit’ submitted to the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Several other Congress members joined the protest, creating a ruckus in the House.

Despite the commotion, Governor Patel continued his address , with treasury bench members repeatedly thumping their tables in support as he outlined the government’s achievements and ongoing initiatives.

After the governor concluded, Speaker Narendra Tomar announced that the remainder of the governor’s address, which could not be read due to the protest, would be “considered as read.” He then adjourned the proceedings until Tuesday , allowing time for the House to settle ahead of the upcoming budget discussions.

The state budget for 2026-27 is scheduled to be presented on February 18 , and the session is set to conclude on March 6 .

The opposition’s protest reflects ongoing concerns over public health and governance, particularly regarding Indore’s drinking water crisis , which has drawn sharp criticism and heightened political tensions as the budget session gets underway.