Next morning, local Congress leaders reached Vidhan Sabha premises with tea and breakfast. All attempts by the speaker Dr. Sita Sharan Sharma and Ministers Narottam Mishra and Bhupendra Singh to persuade the Congress MLAs to leave the Vidhan Sabha premises failed. It is learnt that even Congress general secretary, Digvijaya Singh advised Congress MLA to end in-house agitation. But the Congress MLAs are determined to continue agitation till their demands are met.

Their demands include a debate in the house over hardships being faced by the farmers caused by untimely rains accompanied by hailstorms. Another demand is payment of adequate compensation to the affected farmers.The special one day session of the assembly was convened on March 24 to discuiss few bills and also to pass a second supplementary budget of Rs. 10, 657 crore..

To take the sting out of the Opposition's attack on the government on the farmers' issue, the ruling party included a discussion on the same in the business list of the House. However, Congress legislators led by their leader Satyadev Katare expressed dissatisfaction over Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s reply and demanded extension of the session by three days for full length discussions.

However, after the house was adjourned following an extended sitting which went beyond the stipulated closing time of 5 pm, Congress MLAs refused to leave the house creating an unprecedented situation in the Assembly.

They said since the state government didn't concede demands for providing immediate relief to farmers they had no other option left but to stage a sit-in demonstration. Their demands included adequate compensation to farmers, waiver of all loans and suspension of other recoveries. Media persons were asked to leave the assembly premises and all the gates of the assembly were clo

All India Congress Committee general secretary Digvijaya Singh-who was barred from holding press conference in the assembly during the day, came out of the assembly premises in the evening and accused the ruling party of displaying an 'authoritarian' attitude.Talking to newspersons, Katare said that the Congress members would remain in the house till their demands were met.

'We had asked the speaker and chief minister to have a serious debate on farmers' plight but they did not allot appropriate time and also didn't consider our demands,' said Katare.

Chief Minister Chouhan while talking to media persons said his government was looking at different options to compensate farmers against non-payment of bonus to them on paddy and wheat procurement. The state government was giving Rs. 150 per quintal to farmers on purchases of wheat and paddy as bonus in addition to the procurement price. The same had to be discontinued due to cenre’s reservation on payment of bonus to farmers.

On damage to crops caused by unexpected rains and hailstorm, Chief Minister said about four lakh farmers were affected in 3407 villages of 31 districts of the state. The survey of damaged crops would be completed by March 31.

Earlier the Vidhan Sabha passed supplementary budget in a highly chaotic situation. While the Congress MLAs were pressing their demands, Digvijaya Singh came to the Assembly premises with some new evidence to substantiate his charge of Chief Minister's involvement in the Vyapam scam. He wanted to interact with media persons in the Assembly press room but he was denied to do so. Speaker issued special order saying that outsiders cannot use the press room facility which was meant only for the Vidhan Sabha members.

The speaker posted marshals at the gate of the press room to ensure compliance of his order. The speaker's order created furore in the political circles. Digvijaya Singh reacting angrily said he is two-time chief minister, one term minister and five times MLA, still he is being prevented to use Vidhan Sabha facilities. He however addressed the media at the gate of Assembly.

He alleged that it is the tradition of RSS to stop its opponents from expressing their views and the government by bringing the Prevention of Vexatious Litigation Bill is trying to suppress those who want to raise voice against corruption.

Former Chief Minister said when former Minister Laxmikant Sharma, Vyapam officers and other officers are behind bars in Vyapam scam on the basis of evidences and FIR has been filed against Governor, why STF is not taking action against Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Digvijaya Singh claimed that despite submitting evidences, no action has been taken. Singh also gave details about tampering done with hard disk. He said the erstwhile officers in Indore did the tampering and that is why Vyapam scam must be investigated by CBI. He said he has given complete information in this matter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Digvijaya Singh said that Modi has said that he would look into the demand. Digvijaya said now we have to see what he does. (IPA Service)