SP against anti-defection law | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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SP against anti-defection law

None | ByMasoodul Hasan, Lucknow
Feb 18, 2007 03:22 PM IST

Samajwadi Party on Sunday announced that Anti-Defection Law was "unconstitutional", reports Masoodul Hasan.

Shaken over the Supreme Court judgment disqualifying 13 BSP MLAs, the Samajwadi Party on Sunday announced that Anti-Defection Law was "unconstitutional".

The party said the law was against the sprit of the Constitution as "there is no mention of political party in the statute".

Talking to newsmen in Lucknow on Sunday the SP general secretary and MP Beni Prasad Verma said the law was against freedom of speech enshrined in the Constitution. Verma said the law had increased dictatorial attitude in the party leadership. He said the law was simply aimed at controlling the conscience of the elected members and crushing their voice. He said there was no such law in democracies like UK and US.

Interestingly the party had used this law against five Loktantrik Bahujan Dal (LBD) MLAs who had gone back to BSP after February 28, 2006 decision of the High Court and got them disqualified.

Verma said even though the "Congress is a divided house" over the imposition of the President's rule in UP, desperate moves were afoot to dislodge the Mulayam Singh Yadav government. Verma said UP Congress leaders and especially "Congress legislature party leader Pramod Tiwari" was highly obliged to the chief minister. "So also is the case of BJP leader Lalji Tandon", Verma said and added both leaders were always seen at the chief minister's office. He said a section in the Congress was thus against central rule in UP.

Since there was no breakdown of constitutional machinery Verma appealed to the President APJ Abdul Kalam to not sign papers proclaiming central rule.

Announcing that the SP would move the apex court if Yadav was removed, Verma said the party was ready to fight the battle against the Congress.

Assailing Union Minister Kapil Sibbal for "misinterpreting court decision", Verma said he (Sibbal) had demonstrated his loyalty to "Delhi-ki-Maharani (Sonia Gandhi)". Verma said "Sibbal should not take Maharaja of Lucknow (Mulayam Singh) lightly". "Ham auqat dikha denge" (we will fix him), Verma warned. Daring the Congress to impose the central rule Verma asked it to stop threatening the SP. He said the Governor TV Rajeswar's report had been prepared by UPCC chief Salman Khurshid, BSP general secretary SC Mishra and BJP leader Lalji Tandon.

Email Masoodul Hasan: mhasan@hindustantimes.com

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