BJP members demand disqualification of Dy Speaker Shoib Iqbal

New Delhi, Mar 21 (UNI) BJP members in the Delhi Legislative Assembly today demanded disqualification of its Deputy Speaker Shoaib Iqbal following his quitting the Janata Dal (Secular) and joining the Ram Vilas Paswan-led Lok Janashakti Party.

Raising a resolution in this regard, BJP MLA Vijay Jolly said, ''Mr Iqbal last week quit as leader of the Janata Dal (S), on whose ticket he had won his seat in the Assembly, and joined Union Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janashakti Party.'' He said, ''a news item in this regard appeared on various television channels in India. This is a violation of the rules of the Legislative Assembly which stipulate that a member, during his tenure as MLA, cannot leave the party on whose election symbol he was elected.'' Mr Jolly said, ''he should be immediately disqualified from the membership of the Assembly.'' Following the introduction of the resolution, supported by BJP member Sahib Singh Chauhan, Speaker Prem Singh said he had taken a note of the matter and promised that suitable action would soon be taken in this regard.

The introduction of the resolution was preceded by noisy scenes by Opposition members demanding resignation of Mr Iqbal.

UNI