BHOPAL: The rift between BJP legislature party and state assembly speaker has widened over the membership of ex-MLA Prahlad Lodhi.
Leader of opposition (LoP) Gopal Bhargava alleged that he Assembly Speaker does not want to solve the issue. He claimed his three phone calls to the speaker went unanswered. LoP said how would work if Assembly Speaker does not speak to leader of opposition (LoP).
A delegation of BJP MLAs will meet Governor Lalji Tandon on Wednesday over Lodhi’s membership. The delegation may also raise the issue against the Speaker.
Bhargava said the speaker disqualified Lodhi from membership within 24 hours of the lower court’s verdict but he is not reinstating his membership even though the high court stayed his punishment a week ago. He alleged that these developments show that discrimination is being done.
Law minister PC Sharma has said that the order of the High Court does not mention the membership of Lodhi. He said the court had given stay on his punishment not on his membership of state assembly. He said the Assembly Speaker has taken action as per the rules and the intervention of the Governor is not necessary in a case which is related to the court.
On the other hand, the BJP has decided that it would take Lodhi to the Assembly during winter session. Ex-minister Narottam Mishra said membership of Lodhi is not cancelled and Governor has the power to cancel it. Election Commission has also not cancelled the membership of Lodhi and the decision of the Assembly Speaker was wrong, he said.
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Bhargava meets Shivraj
Leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava called on ex-CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the latter’s residence over the issue of Prahlad Lodhi. They also discussed the party’s strategy for the upcoming assembly session.
