Speaker dismisses pleas against 5 HJC MLAs, Cong breathes easy

Stung by Speaker Kuldeep Sharma's judgement in which he approved of the merger of the two political parties, Haryana Janhit Congress-BL chief Kuldeep Bishnoi, said he would challenge the order in the High Court.

Dismissing 14 petitions of opposition HJC and INLD seeking disqualification of five HJC-BL MLAs, the Speaker observed that the legislators "had given up membership of their original party -- HJC-BL."

In the 2009 Assembly polls, the Congress which had bagged 40 seats in a House of 90 was short of five to prove majority.

Initially, seven independent MLAs supported the Congress to help it achieve the magic mark and enable it to form the government for the second successive term.

On November 8 and 9, 2009 five of the six HJC MLAs, except party chief Bishnoi, quit the party and defected to Congress raising its strength to 45.

The Speaker's decision on the petitions filed under the Anti-defection Law comes on the last day of the three-month deadline set by the Supreme Court last year to dispose of the pleas against the five MLAs.

Releasing his 29-page judgement at a press conference in the Assembly complex, the Speaker said he has accepted the merger of the two parties under provisions of the 10th schedule of the Constitution, which allows such merger provided it is supported by two-third strength of the MLAs.

"In the light of the facts and discussions, I have no option but to dismiss petitions No 1 to 5 filed by Shri Kuldeep Bishnoi under Article 191 read with 10th Schedule of the Constitution on the ground of their allegedly giving up membership of their original political party -- HJC (BL)," the Speaker said.

Bishnoi, however, said he would challenge the Speaker's order in the High Court. "This will be challenged as early as possible in the High Court. We will take this fight to logical conclusion," he said.