All disqualified MLAS must return their benefits, says BJP

NEW DELHI: Welcoming the nod from the President to the Election Commission’s recommendation to disqualify 20 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAS, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) demanded that the AAP legislators return the benefits enjoyed by them.

“The people of Delhi today feel that these (AAP) MLAS must now return to the treasury all financial benefits they have taken since the date on which their appointment facilities circular were issued because their dis- qualification actually stands effective from that date on which they violated the constitutional provisions,” said Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday disqualified 20 AAP MLAS in Delhi for holding ‘offices of profit’ after the recommendation by the Election Commission.

The Congress, meanwhile, alleged that the EC and BJP had “helped” the AAP by delaying the recommendation for the disqualification of the 20 AAP legislators to enable the party to send three candidates to Rajya Sabha.

“It was to help the AAP that the chief election commissioner, at the behest of the BJP, recommended the disqualification of the 20 AAP MLAS to the President after the Rajya Sabha elections. This was done so that the AAP does not crack before the Rajya Sabha elections,” Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said.

Maken also accused AAP of making false statement before the court that its leaders were not given due opportunities at the hearings. “The EC has conducted as many as 11 hearings and all the 20 MLAS were given enough opportunities to hand over their submissions,” Maken said.