TMC parliamentary party leader in Lok Sabha Abhishek Banerjee met Speaker Om Birla on Friday and submitted separate petitions against each of the 20 rebel MPs, seeking their disqualification, citing anti-defection law and SC judgments.Birla had invited him to present TMC’s case before ruling on the rebels’ demand to be recognised as a separate group after merging with NCPI.
Merger needs 2/3 of political party, not just MPs: Abhishek
Terming the rebels’ claim of merger as “invalid, Abhishek told reporters that “it is very clearly laid out (in Tenth Schedule of Constitution) that if a member voluntarily gives up their membership of a party, then that is ground for disqualification from the House”.On rebel MPs statement they have the requisite twothird numbers — threshold required to be exempt from the law and retain membership of the House — he said that “the merger will be accepted only when two-third of the political party merges with another political party and not just legislative party”.“We have left it to the judgement and wisdom of Speaker and requested him to take a decision expeditiously after listening to both sides. Speaker has said he will listen to the other side and call us again. I hope he will work as per the Constitution and not choke democracy,” Abhishek said.He added that “if they (rebels) have any integrity, they should leave their posts and get elected when elections happen”. “They are joining hands with BJP because they can’t fight; someone has to escape ED, CBI…some are getting money, or being threatened…,” he alleged, adding that he has “concrete proof”, and those who have objections can approach a court where he will produce the evidence.
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