Akalis, AAP seek action against defector MLAS
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday demanded action against the MLAs facing complaints under the anti-defection law for leaving the party on whose ticket they were elected.
The two parties raised the issue during the zero hour, questioning the delay in decision on petitions against the rebel AAP MLAs who had quit the party and formed their own separate outfit or joined the ruling Congress. SAD legislator Bikram Singh Majithia was the first to take up the matter. He said that 4-5 MLAs had switched sides, but were still to face any action.
Leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, who belongs to the AAP, said he had also filed complaint against one of them, but no action was taken. “Why are you sitting on them (complaints)?” he asked speaker Rana KP Singh.
However, the speaker said he was dealing with the matter as per the law. “The legislature in its wisdom has put no time limit for the speaker to take decision. If anyone has a problem, he is free to approach the court,” he said. Though both Majithia and Cheema did not name any members, the proceedings against Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Amarjit Sandoa, Baldev Singh and Nazar Singh Manshahia are awaiting decision of the speaker. Khaira had quit the AAP in January 2019 after falling out with the party leadership and floated the Punjab Ekta Party (PEP).
The disqualification petition against him was filed by the AAP that month under the anti-defection law.
Sandoa, a first-time MLA from Rupnagar, had joined the ruling Congress before the 2019 parliamentary polls but returned to the AAP-fold three months ago.
A first-time MLA from Jaitu, Baldev had quit the AAP and contested from the Faridkot Lok Sabha seat as a nominee of the PEP, but later took a U-turn and returned to AAP.
Manshahia, on the other hand, had tendered his resignation from the assembly and switched sides to the Congress before the parliamentary polls.