Rajasthan: 6 BSP MLAs hold Congress’s hand, now demand disqualification.
The Supreme Court has now issued a notice on the case of 6 MLAs who joined the Gehlot government of Rajasthan. This notice has been given to the assembly speaker. Two petitions were filed in the Supreme Court against these 6 MLAs joining the Congress. Apart from the speaker, the Supreme Court has issued notice to the Assembly Secretary and all the 6 MLAs in this matter.
High court rejected the petition
Earlier, the petition of the BJP MLA Madan Dilawar was rejected by the Rajasthan High Court. In which he spoke to the BSP about disqualifying the 6 MLAs who joined the Congress. Apart from this, the High Court had asked the speaker to exercise his rights and take a decision on disqualification in 3 months. Now this decision of the High Court has been challenged in the Supreme Court.
In fact, in the 2018 Rajasthan Assembly elections, 6 candidates on the BSP ticket – Sandeep Yadav, Wajib Ali, Deepchand Kheria, Lakhan Meena, Jogendra Awana and Rajendra Gudha contested and also won. But exactly one year later, all the MLAs decided to join Congress together. For this, the speaker was applied, which was accepted and all the MLAs joined the Congress.
Gehlot government raised issue during crisis
The case of all the MLAs joining the Congress was stopped at that time, but the real turning point came when Congress leader Sachin Pilot rebelled. Due to which the crisis of Gehlot government started looming, on seeing the opportunity, Mayawati raised the matter of her MLAs joining the Congress. Also directed that all 6 MLAs should vote against Congress in floor test. It was said that if the whip is violated, the MLA will be disqualified. But the MLAs gave their support in favor of Congress only. However, by then Sachin Pilot and his supporting MLAs had also returned. After which the matter went from the High Court to the Supreme Court.
At present, the Supreme Court has issued a notice in this case and sought an answer. It will have to be seen whether the Supreme Court also asks the speaker to use his powers to take a decision or a new twist comes in this case. However, under the anti-defection law, legislators have the upper hand.
