BJP demands disqualification of Sikkim MPs

Gangtok, June 21 : No sooner did the controversy over the demand for disqualifcation of 17 MLAs of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front for holding office of profit died down, the BJP today demanded the disqualification of two MPs of the state from the membership of Parliament for ''enjoying undue benefits at the state expense''.

BJP Sikkim state unit secretary C B Chhetrri today alleged that the two MPs--Nakul Das Rai (Lok Sabha) and O T Lepcha (Rajya Sabha)-- were ''drawing profit without office'' and demanded their disqualification.

The two MPs, the BJP leader alleged, had been given a vehicle, 300 litres of petrol and diesel, a personal assistant, a driver, a peon, a security officer and a telephone each by the state government without any work assigned to them.

The government, he alleged, was spending around Rs seven lakh per year on each of them.

He described it as a ''corrupt practice'' and attract disqualification under Art 102 (e) of the Constitution.

Mr Chhetri said his party had already urged upon the President to disqualify both the MPs from the membership of Parliament and had also drawn the attention of the Election Commission on the issue.

He said his party would challenge all the three Acts recently formulated to exempt some ruling party members from disqualification for holding office of profit.

UNI