No Constitutional Crisis In Gujarat, Says Mehta

Mehta said the present stalemate was due to the unconstitutional recognition of the split group of 46 BJP MLAs by the deputy speaker, Chandubhai Dabhi. We have given notice for his removal and the moment he is removed, the stalemate will be over, Mehta said.

Asked how long it would take to remove the deputy speaker, Mehta said five days had already passed since the ruling BJP gave notice for the removal of Dabhi. Now only nine days were left as the minimum time required for the notice was 14 days.

I hope the Governor will convene the state assembly after that period to remove the deputy speaker and allow me to prove my majority on the floor of the House, which is the only remedy, Mehta said. Mehta said he had written to the governor, Krishnapal Singh, on Saturday, to summon the state assembly under Article 175(2) of the Constitution in this regard.

I feel the governor will not act in a haste (regarding recommending for imposition of President's rule) as that would be unconstitutional. Floor testing is the only remedy, he said.

I am also in a haste to prove my majority, Mehta said.

Asked when the speaker, H L Patel, was ill how could the House take up the issue of the removal of the deputy speaker, as the deputy speaker himself would be in the chair in the absence of the speaker, Mehta said generally it was accepted that a person should not occupy the chair when the House discussed his removal.