BHOPAL: Amid high-voltage political drama in the state, Speaker NP Prajapati accepted resignations of six of the 22 rebel Congress legislators on Saturday.
The MLAs whose resignations were accepted are Govind Singh Rajput, Mahendra Singh Sisodia, Imarti Devi, Prabhuram Choudhary, Pradyumnya Singh Tomar and Tulsi Silawat.
The Speaker accepted the resignations according to rule 276 of the Vidhan Sabha.
Governor Lalji Tandon removed them from the ministry following recommendation of Chief Minister Kamal Nath. Speaker NP Prajapati said he had received their resignations on March 10.
The Speaker said that all those legislators were told to remain present before him on March 13.
They were also called on March 14, but they did not turn up. So those MLAs were expelled from the cabinet.
The Speaker said that the statements made by those legislators to media were surprising, and that making such statements ill behoves of their stature, so they are not supposed to be the members of the House.
Leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava said 22 legislators had resigned, and the reason behind Speaker’s accepting only six resignations is beyond anybody’s understanding.
Resignations of all 22 legislators should be accepted, Bhargava said.
First impression: Jolt to govt
At the outset, the acceptance of resignation of six legislators indicates that it is a jolt to the government. Twenty-two legislators of the Congress put in their papers. The Congress leaders also tried to bring back the legislators of the Scindia faction to the party fold.
Now, their entry to the party was closed, and opened door for other legislators who have not yet put in their papers.
