AAP to petition Punjab Speaker for rebel MLA Manshahia’s disqualification
ANTI-DEFECTION LAW Nine months on, Speaker rejects Mansa legislator’s resignation, citing wrong format; Manshahia defected to Congress before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is likely to petition Punjab assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh for its rebel MLA Nazar Singh Manshahia’s disqualification from the membership of the House under the anti-defection law.
A senior AAP leader said the party will submit the petition to the Speaker in all probability for action against the Mansa legislator for defecting to the Congress.
“The party did this in case of (Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh) Khaira. We will do the same here also. The final decision will be taken at a meeting of the AAP legislature party to be held before the budget session of the assembly,” said the leader, requesting anonymity, after the Speaker rejected Manshahia’s resignation from the assembly, citing wrong format.
A first-time MLA, Manshahia had tendered his resignation from the assembly after switching sides to the ruling Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The Speaker rejected it after nine months.
Manshahia said he will continue in the Congress. Asked if he would submit a fresh resignation letter to the Speaker, the Mansa MLA said he had not received any written communication from the Speaker regarding the rejection of his resignation letter.
Earlier, AAP legislature party leader Harpal Singh Cheema had submitted an application in January 2019 for Khaira’s disqualification under the 10th schedule of the Constitution for quitting the party and floating his political outfit. The Bholath MLA had contested the Lok Sabha elections from his new party. However, the AAP’s disqualification petition against him is still to be decided.
