LBD moves petition to disqualify 5 MLAs

Lucknow, Apr 6 (UNI) The Loktantrik Bahujan Dal (LBD) has moved a petition before the Uttar Pradesh assembly speaker to disqualify five of its MLAs, who rejoined the BSP after the Allahabad High Court verdict.

LBD chief whip and Uttar Pradesh minister of State for Agricultural Education Yogesh Pratap Singh said here he moved the petition before speaker Mata Prasad Pandey last night. ''The date of hearing has not yet been fixed,'' he informed.

The five MLAs -- Jaiveer Singh, Surendra Vikaram Singh, Ramji Shulka, Dharmpal Singh and Ram Krishna -- had met Governor T V Rajeswar in the first week of March expressing willingness to rejoin the BSP after an Allahabad High Court judgement on rebel BSP MLAs, who had formed the LBD before merging with Samajwadi Party in August 2003.

''The five MLAs have violated the party whip during the just concluded Budget session and elections to Rajya Sabha and Vidhan Parishad...this is a fit case of disqualification under the Anti-Defection Law,'' Mr Singh asserted.

He claimed the Supreme Court had also accepted the rebel BSP MLAs as LBD members.

UNI NAB VS RR KP1632