AAP moves for disqualification of 7 Rajya Sabha MPs after BJP merger claim

Sanjay Singh has sought disqualification of seven Rajya Sabha MPs who allegedly left Aam Aadmi Party and merged with BJP, citing anti-defection law violations under the Constitution’s 10th Schedule, while promising legal action if required

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh said on Sunday that he has submitted a petition to Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan seeking the disqualification of seven party MPs in the Upper House, who recently quit the AAP and announced their merger with the BJP. Addressing a press conference, the AAP Rajya Sabha member also said the party would pursue legal action in the matter if needed, alleging that the move by the seven MPs violated the anti-defection law.

The AAP has urged the Rajya Sabha chairman to terminate the memberships of the seven MPs, claiming they were elected to the Upper House on AAP tickets but later left the party to join the BJP. On Friday, the AAP suffered a jolt when seven of its Rajya Sabha MPs  Raghav Chadha, Ashok

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Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikram Sahni and Swati Maliwal  quit and merged with the BJP, alleging that the Arvind Kejriwal-led party had strayed from its principles, values and core morals.

“According to the Constitution, two-thirds of the total MPs of a party can merge with another party,” Chadha said, pointing to the fact that AAP had a total of 10 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. At the presser, Singh claimed that many Supreme Court judgments, including in cases related to Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh, had clarified how such defections could lead to disqualification.

He also referred to the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, saying that “it clearly does not permit such political defections”. “While delays in such cases could lead to disappointment, the AAP would pursue the matter in court if required. These members were elected by the party but later chose to leave and join another outfit. This is a betrayal of the people of Punjab and also of the Constitution of India,” Singh said.

Incidentally, six of the seven MPs who quit the party were Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab. Rejecting speculation that some AAP MLAs in Punjab were in touch with the BJP, Singh termed such reports “false propaganda” being spread by the BJP and the “defected” MPs. Singh also claimed that there was public anger and protests in Punjab against the MPs who quit the AAP for “betraying” the party and the state.

Responding to allegations on the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ controversy, Singh claimed that the images circulated by Delhi minister Parvesh Sahib Singh were fake, which had already been “exposed”. The BJP on Saturday cornered AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal over a new bungalow allotted to him at Lodhi Estate here, dubbing it as ‘Sheesh Mahal 2’ and alleging expenditure of private money to build amenities in it.

Addressing a press conference, Delhi PWD minister Parvesh Singh shared some images of the Type VII bungalow allotted to Kejriwal by the Centre, and said the Central PWD does not spend so much money on bungalows, alleging that “private money” was spent to create superior quality amenities in it. Singh said the AAP would initiate defamation proceedings and take action against channels that aired the “false” images.