2 MPs disqualified from LS

Amid reports that the committee investigating the cash-for-vote controversy had taken a decision, the Lok Sabha Speaker announced that he had reached a verdict on the basis of the vote of two members — H T Sangliana and Ramswaroop Prasad — and that they were being disqualified.

The July 22 vote of confidence, which was crucial for the survival of the UPA government, saw several controversies in its wake.

Some MPs like Sangliana, who was expelled from the BJP for voting for the government in the July 22 vote of confidence, and Prasad, a JD(U) member facing the same charge, were disqualified under the anti-defection provisions.

However, the jury is still out on the fate of Amar Singh and Reoti Raman Singh, both Samajwadi Party leaders, against whom there were charges of trying to bribe three other Lok Sabha MPs from the BJP to get them to vote against the party line.

A committee was set up under Kishore Chandra Deo to investigate the matter. Deo says the committee has reached no conclusion yet, but BJP leaders claim Amar Singh has been exonerated by it.

At least three members of the committee — from CPI(M), BSP and the BJP — have decided to append their dissent notes to the final report of the committee. The committee had circulated the draft of its findings, which would be discussed and finalised on October 17.

BJP’s Vijay Kumar Malhotra, BSP’s Rakesh Verma and CPI(M)’s Mohammad Salim said they would pen a dissent note on Amar Singh’s exoneration. According to the BJP, Singh had offered bribe of Rs 1 crore, which was eventually flaunted in the Lok Sabha during the debate, to vote in favour of the UPA government.

Deo told Business Standard over telephone that “the findings of the report were complicated and did not give a clean chit to anyone”. He claimed the media reports on the draft report were “highly speculative and off the mark”.