AAP approaches Delhi Assembly Speaker, seeks disqualification of its two rebel MLAs who joined the BJP

The AAP on Wednesday approached the Delhi Assembly Speaker, seeking disqualification of its two rebel MLAs who joined the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, party spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

The two MLAs - Anil Bajpai and Devinder Sehrawat - had been openly critical of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on May 3 and May 6 respectively.

Mr Bharadwaj confirmed that a petition has been moved against the rebel MLAs, seeking their disqualification from the assembly.

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The AAP's action comes months ahead of the Assembly polls in Delhi. While Mr Sehrawat said he had received a notice from the speaker, Mr Bajpai said there is no merit in AAP's petition as the case of office of profit against him is still subjudice.

"Under the existing laws, they (AAP) have not issued a proper notice. Even on the BJP dais, I had said that I have not taken the party membership... There is a due process before seeking my disqualification and I have not received any notice directly from the AAP," Mr Sehrawat said.

He said while the AAP is seeking his disqualification, the then BJP MPs Shatrughan Sinha and Kirti Azad had participated in several AAP programmes in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls.

Mr Bajpai said, "The decision on my membership to the Legislative Assembly is still pending."

Last year, the Delhi High Court restored the membership of 20 disqualified AAP MLAs and referred the case back to the Election Commission (EC). The HC had said the disqualification of AAP MLAs was bad in law, and therefore remanded their plea back to the EC which will hear it afresh.

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