Eyes on Speaker over JVMP-BJP merger after RS poll announcement
Ranchi: With the date for the deferred Rajya Sabha biennials announced, all eyes are on Jharkhand assembly speaker Rabindranath Mahto as he is expected to take a call on the merger of JVM-P’s legislative party into BJP and appointment of Dhanwar MLA Babulal Marandi as the leader of opposition .
Mahto, who reached Ranchi from his assembly constituency Nala (in Jamtara district) on Tuesday, deflected questions on the matter.
“A decision will be taken soon and you will come to know. As of now, I will not comment on it,” Mahto told TOI.
The BJP, however, is looking to mount pressure on Mahto in the coming days. The party’s state president and its Rajya Sabha candidate Deepak Prakash said, “We have urged the Speaker to appoint Babulal ji as the LoP. We will do it again. We will also seek a list of eligible voters for the Rajya Sabha biennials and move the Election Commission (EC) if required.”
Following an approval for the merger from JVM-P’s central committee, Marandi merged his party into BJP in February. Soon after, the BJP had moved EC seeking the latter’s ratification of the merger. The EC had on March held the merger valid. It also rejected the merger plea of JVM-P into Congress, moved by the party’s expelled legislators Pradeep Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey.
The BJP, however, is looking to mount pressure on Mahto in the coming days. The party’s state president and its Rajya Sabha candidate Deepak Prakash said, “We have urged the Speaker to appoint Babulal ji as the LoP. We will do it again. We will also seek a list of eligible voters for the Rajya Sabha biennials and move the Election Commission (EC) if required.”
Following an approval for the merger from JVM-P’s central committee, Marandi merged his party into BJP in February. Soon after, the BJP had moved EC seeking the latter’s ratification of the merger. The EC had on March held the merger valid. It also rejected the merger plea of JVM-P into Congress, moved by the party’s expelled legislators Pradeep Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey.
The budget session proceedings of the fifth Jharkhand assembly, which was shelved before its scheduled closure in March in view of the Covid-19 outbreak, was disrupted by BJP over Marandi’s appointment as the LoP. The BJP had alleged that a decision on the matter was being delayed keeping in mind the Rajya Sabha biennials to provide advantage of numbers to the ruling alliance of JMM , Congress and the RJD.
However, the Speaker is yet to validate Tirkey and Yadav’s membership as Congress legislators and Marandi’s membership as a BJP legislator. As per the assembly’s bench division, the trio have been allotted seats in capacity of JVM-P legislators.
Expelled JVM-P legislator Yadav said, “As per the 10th schedule of the Constitution, a merger of the legislative party is held valid if two-third of the legislators supports the move.”
Meanwhile, a watchful JMM stayed clear on the incident. “The matter is in the Speaker’s disposition,” JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said. Bhattacharya, however, demanded that the EC must devise a strategy to conduct the pending assembly by-polls in Dumka.
“If Rajya Sabha polls can be held, why can’t assembly by-poll be held? JMM urges EC to come with a strategy and issue dates,” Bhattacharya said. The Dumka assembly constituency fell vacant on January 6 after its MLA-elect Hemant Soren took oath from Barhait assembly constituency. As per mandate, by-polls in Dumka are to be held by June 6.
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