Speaker watching MLAs changing parties

Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Shashank Sekhar Bhokta today said he was waiting for a genuine ground before considering anti-defection provisions against MLAs changing political parties ahead of the general elections.
"I will follow the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution after getting a genuine ground like filing nominations," Bhokta said here.
Sitting MLA Chandrasekhar Dubey who had won on Congress ticket had joined the Trinamool Congress, while Hemlal Murmu and Bidyut Baran Mahto who won on JMM ticket and joined the BJP.
The Speaker, however, said that sitting MLAs Bandhu Tirkey and Chamra Linda would not come under the provisions as their registered parties joined the Trinamool Congress.

"Both Bandhu Tirkey and Chamra Linda have neither withdrawn support to the (Hemant Soren) government nor have given any letter of support so far," Bhokta said.
Tirkey's Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch and Linda's Rastriya Kalyan Pakshya had merged with the TMC in the presence of TMC General Secretary Mukul Roy in Ranchi.

Meanwhile, a Raj Bhavan release said former chief minister and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantric) leader Babulal Marandi called on Governor Syed Ahmed and requested him to initiate action against the MLAs and dismiss the government which had been reduced to a minority because of the defection.
A memorandum submitted by Marandi quoted the Tenth Schedule that a member being elected on the ticket of one political party and then joining any other political party after elections would attract the disqualification provision.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren formed the government on July 13 last year with the support of JMM (18), Congress (13), RJD (5) and seven MLAs from smaller parties and independent members with a strength of 43 in the 82-member House.