
With Kuldeep Bishnoi ignoring repeated summons, the Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha is likely to submit its report to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee in a day or so. The Speaker had referred a petition, filed by Congress member from Faridabad Avtar Singh Bhadana, seeking Bishnoi8217;s disqualification from the House.
The committee is only mandated to go into facts and the final decision rests with the Speaker. Chatterjee is expected to provide Bishnoi with one more chance for a hearing.
As far as Bishnoi is concerned, the sources describe it as an 8220;open-and-shut8221; case for disqualification. Bishnoi, along with his father, former chief minister Bhajan Lal, had floated a regional party called the Haryana Janhit Congress BL at a rally in Rohtak last year. Thus, the petition contended, Bishnoi had voluntarily given up his membership of the Congress, on whose ticket he had been elected.
There was speculation in the run-up to the July 22 trust vote that the ruling party may strike some deal with Bhajan Lal and consequently Bishnoi may back the UPA. However, Bishnoi sided with the NDA leaving no scope for a patch-up with Congress.