Congress wants its Rae Bareli MLA Aditi Singh disqualified for defying whip

The Congress has moved a petition in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, seeking disqualification of its Rae Bareli MLA, Aditi Singh, days after it expelled 10 senior leaders for opposing the party leadership.

The petition seeking Singh's disqualification under Schedule 10 was submitted to speaker Hriday Narain Dixit on Tuesday, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Aradhana Misra said.

Singh was served a show-cause notice after she defied the party whip and attended the special session of the Vidhan Sabha on October 2 organised by the Uttar Pradesh government to mark 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, but she did not give a reply, Misra said.

She was sent a reminder as well but to no avail, the CLP leader added.

"The party had decided to boycott the two-day session of the House and had also issued a whip to ensure that no MLA attends it. You were also informed about it individually but you defied the party instructions," the then Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu had said in the notice served on Aditi Singh.

Singh, who gave the Congress's Gandhi Jayanti functions on October 2 led by party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi a miss, surprised all by attending the proceedings of the House the same evening "rising above party lines".

Soon after she attended the special Assembly session, Aditi Singh's security was stepped up to Y-Plus category.

On Sunday, the Congress expelled 10 senior leaders for opposing the decision of the leadership at a public forum and tarnishing the party's image.