BJP legislator files plea seeking disqualification of 6 BSP MLAs who merged with Cong

The BSP is also expected to file a petition later on Tuesday that will also challenge the merger of six MLAs, who had won Rajasthan assembly polls in 2018 on the party’s symbol.

Madan Dilawar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, on Tuesday, filed an application in Rajasthan high court (HC), requesting disqualification of six Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) lawmakers, who had merged with the ruling Congress government in the state last September.

Madan Dilawar, a sitting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker, was holding a sit-in protest inside the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha on Monday. (HT Photo)

The six BSP members of Rajasthan legislative assembly (MLAs), who had merged with the Ashok Gehlot–led government on September 18, 2019, are Sandeep Yadav, Tijara MLA, Wajib Ali (Nagar), Deepchand Kheria (Kishangarh Bas), LakhanMeena (Karauli), and Rajendra Gudha (Udaipurwati).

“Assembly Speaker CP Joshi had dismissed our plea without hearing our line of argument. This prompted us to move the HC against the Speaker’s decision. We have prayed before the court to disqualify the membership of the six BSP MLAs and pass an order that upholds justice and equality,” said Ashish Sharma, Dilawar’s counsel.

The BSP is also expected to file a petition later on Tuesday that will also challenge the merger of six MLAs, who had won Rajasthan assembly polls in 2018 on the party’s symbol.

“The merger of these six MLAs with Congress was unconstitutional. We are preparing a petition and will file it soon,” said Bhagwan Singh Baba, state president, BSP.

On Monday, the Rajasthan HC had disposed of the petition by Dilawar, who had questioned Speaker Joshi’s alleged inaction over the merger of six BSP MLAs with the Gehlot government last September.