MP: BJP MLA Prahlad Lodhi disqualified after conviction

In a setback to the opposition BJP, the Madhya Pradesh assembly secretariat on Saturday announced disqualification of BJP MLA from Pawai, Prahlad Lodhi, following his conviction in a criminal case.

It also informed the Election Commission that Pawai seat had now fallen vacant. The BJP termed the decision as "undemocratic" and said it would challenge it in the court.

On Thursday, a Bhopal court sentenced Lodhi and 12 others to two years in jail. They were accused of attacking Raipura Tehsildar (revenue official) R K Verma on August 18, 2014, for seizing a tractor transporting sand illegally.

Speaker N P Prajapati said as per the Supreme Court's ruling, a public representative should be disqualified as soon as he or she is convicted, and the rule was followed in Lodhi's case.

The decision was taken after the Assembly secretariat got certified copy of the trial court's order, he said.

An Assembly official said that as per the apex court's ruling, a legislator is disqualified if he or she is sentenced to two years or more in jail.

State BJP president Rakesh Singh said, "The decision taken by the Speaker in Lodhi's case is undemocratic and against natural justice.

"Speaker is the patron of the house. But he took the decision to disqualify the MLA on the basis of political enmity. The MLA has the right to go the court, and we will do that," Singh added.

The Congress said the decision conformed to the SC ruling.

"The BJP should recall that its government had disqualified its own MLA Asha Rani (from Bijawar seat) after she was convicted in a case. The BJP should respect the law," said Congress leader Bhupendra Gupta.

The ruling Congress has 115 members in 230-member MP Assembly, while the BJP had 108 MLAs, now reduced to 107 with Lodhhi's disqualification.

This is the second jolt to the BJP within a fortnight after it lost Jhabua assembly seat in a bypoll.