BJP MLAs to face axe today

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Thursday, August 28, 2008

Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Alamgir Alam served a notice to five suspended BJP MLAs for their alleged violation of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution related to anti-defection.

The Speaker asked these MLAs to present their point till 5 pm on Thursday and, he will take a decision on the disqualification by six in the evening. The five MLAs include Vishnu Bhaiya, Manohar Tekriwal, Pradeep Yadav, Rabindra Roy and Kunti Singh. Meanwhile, the main Opposition party, BJP would file a case in the Supreme Court to seek disqualification of these MLAs. Learning lessons from the past the BJP has decided to go up to any extent to disqualify these MLAs who are learnt to have been involved in anti-party activity.

Alam, who confirmed to the report, said his office issued notice to these MLAs and he wanted the decision before the House commences its special session on August 29 where Chief Minister Shibu Soren would seek trust vote.

Leader to Opposition Arjun Munda, who is supposed to reach New Delhi on Thursday, held a meeting with the senior party leaders to decide the move of the party on this. If sources are to believed then Munda held a meet with the senior BJP leaders including LK Advani and Arun Jaitley. Three of its suspended MLAs joined hand with Jharkhand Vikash Morcha, (JVM), led by Babulal Marandi while two others Vishnu Bhaiya and Manohar Tekriwal supported the JMM chief Shibu Soren in his bid to form the Government.

The pressure exerted by the BJP seems to have yielded result as the party already sent ultimatum to the Speaker to expedite the proceedings. The well-placed sources confided that the party already decided to move to Supreme Court if it fails to get favourable decision on this issue.

A day back a delegation led by Munda submitted petition to the Speaker alleging that all these five MLAs flouted the 10th Schedule of the constitution by joining hand with JVM and JMM. The petition wanted the disqualification of Rabindra Roy, Pradeep Yadav as they were the part of the delegation of JVM that met the Governor asking for the President Rule in the State. It also alleged them for involving in anti-party activity during the by-elections held for Kodarma, Palamu and Jamshedpur Parliamentary constituency and assembly election of Simaria.

While talking to The Pioneer, Munda said the party feared horse trading during the trust vote and said there was urgent necessity under the circumstances to decide the question since all these five MLAs subjected themselves to disqualification on the ground of anti defection law.

Meanwhile, BJP State president Pashupati Nath Singh demanded the Speaker to debar all 11 MLAs from Assembly proceedings that are facing charges of disqualification under the 10th Schedule and rules regulating to the membership of the Jharkhand State Assembly.