Hearing in BSP rebel MLAs' case tomorrow

Lucknow, Mar 10 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey will commence hearing in the crucial BSP rebel MLAs case from tomorrow.

The case assumes significance as a February 28 verdict of the Allahabad High Court had quashed the Speaker's orders recognising the merger of 40 BSP MLAs into the ruling Samajwadi Party in September, 2003.

While the BSP maintained the rebels were now back in their fold after the HC order, the rebels claimed the HC had recognised them as a separate entity in the assembly -- Loktantrik Bahujan Dal.

Meanwhile, tightening the noose around rebels, the BSP last night filed a writ petiton before the Speaker seeking disqualification of 33 party MLAs for violating the party whip.

The move came in wake of the BSP issuing a whip to its rebel MLAs for their presence in the house alongwith other members on March 8.

BSP legislature party leader Swami Prasad Maurya said several of the 33 rebel MLAs had accepted the whip, and claimed five rebels had rejoined them. Two MLAs were disqualified after they joined the SP when they were convicted in different cases.

''After the High Court quashed the speaker's verdict of September 6 and 9 2003 and September 7, 2005, the 33 MLAs now belong to BSP and not Samajwadi Party,'' Mr Maurya said.

The BSP had also charged the Speaker with being partisan when Mr Pandey, in his interim order on March 8, declared that the BSP rebels would continue to share seats with the Treasury benches for the time being.

Mr Maurya reiterated his party would continue its demand inside the house for recognising the rebel MLAs as BSP member after the HC judgement.

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