Up Speaker Turns Down Bsp Plea To Disqualify Rebels

Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kesri Nath Tripathi yesterday rejected Bahujan Samaj Partys (BSP) petitions seeking disqualification of rebel party MLAs who had helped the Kalyan Singh Ministry win the trust vote last year.

The Speaker also granted recognition to the 19-member BSP breakaway group. The splinter group was recognised as Jantantrik Bahujan Samaj Party in the Assembly.

Mayawati, leader of the then BSP Legislature Party, and R K Chowdhry, a senior party leader, filed separate petitions for disqualification of 13 rebels who defied the party whip during the trial of strength in the Kalyan Singh ministry on October 21.

The rebel group submitted before the Speaker that it had the allegiance of more than 23 party MLAs and their breaking away from the 67-member BSP Legislature Party constituted a valid split.

 

Rejecting the BSPs petitions, in his 148-page judgment Tripathi said it could not be proved that Mayawati was authorised to issue whip on the eve of the confidence vote. No rules, regulations, bye-laws, constitution or resolution of the BSP was submitted to show that she was authorised by the party to issue the whip, he said.