Chhattisgarh: Congress cites AAP case, wants 11 BJP MLAs disqualified

Congress leader Mohammad Akbar, one of the petitioners in case, said on Monday that he wrote to EC in 2016, seeking action against the appointments.

A day after President ordered disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs in Delhi based on Election Commission’s opinion, Congress has demanded the same action in Chhattisgarh. The BJP government under CM Raman Singh has 11 MLAs who hold parliamentary secretary posts and are entitled to perks enjoyed by a state minister. A petition against the appointments is being heard in Chhattisgarh High Court.

Congress leader Mohammad Akbar, one of the petitioners in case, said on Monday that he wrote to EC in 2016, seeking action against the appointments. “In response, EC said the commission goes into alleged disqualification of sitting MLAs only if reference is made to it by the Governor of the state concerned, following which I wrote to the governor in this regard,” he said.

Akbar alleged that Governor Balramji Dass Tandon did not pass the file on to the EC.

The 90-member Assembly has 49 BJP MLAs, 39 Congress MLAs, One independent and one BSP legislator. An eventuality of 11 BJP MLAs being disqualified would mean that the BJP government will fall, said Congress leaders.