Tripura MLA gets notice for switching from Congress to BJP

Ratan Lal Nath, a five-time Congress legislator, had joined the saffron party on December 22 along with several of his followers at a function in Agartala graced by senior BJP leaders.

The Tripura assembly speaker has issued a show-cause notice to MLA Ratan Lal Nath, who switched from Congress to the BJP despite having been elected to the house from the former party.

Ratan Lal Nath, a five-time Congress legislator, had joined the BJP on December 22.

Nath, a five-time Congress legislator, had joined the saffron party on December 22 along with several of his followers at a function in Agartala graced by senior BJP leaders.

Following this, Congress’s state unit wrote to assembly speaker Ramendra Chandra Debnath, requesting him to cancel Nath’s membership as he had contested on a Congress ticket and won in 2013.

Debnath issued a show-cause notice to Nath under Schedule 10 of the Constitution, which deals with anti-defection, and asked the legislator to reply within a week.

“We sought Nath’s reply before proceeding with any action against him. He has been asked to reply within seven days,” said a Tripura assembly official.

Nath’s move is seen as a shot in the arm for BJP, which is aiming to dislodge the CPI(M), which is in power in the state since 1993.

Few months back, six Trinamool Congress MLAs (who had earlier switched over from Congress) had joined the BJP.

At present, Congress has just two MLAs in the state whereas the BJP, which had no legislator after the 2013 assembly polls, has seven in its camp.

Assembly polls are due in the state in early next year.

Congress is also contemplating action against Nath but waiting for the assembly’s decision.

“We first want Nath’s membership from the assembly to be terminated. We will decide on the next course of action after that,” Bhupen Bora, Congress in-charge for Tripura, said.