Battle for six of its rebel MlA intensified further with JVM pleading before the Speaker’s court to consult the Election Commission of India in this regard. JVM legislature party leader and party’s general secretary Pradeep Yadav urged the court during his cross examination on Thursday.
Sources present during the hearing said that Yadav told Speaker Dinesh Oraon to seek a report from the ECI to check whether the party, as claimed by the six effected MlAs, had ever merged with the BJP.
“He said before the court that by this way the certification of the MlAs argument can be ascertained. The ECI must have information regarding the so called merger of the JVM into the BJP,” said an official in the Assembly present during the hearing.
later speaking outside, Yadav also confirmed it and pressed for ECI opinion. “Any merger and dissolution of two parties has to be dully reported with the Election Commission. The Speaker should seek if it has any related to the merger which they are claiming. We also requested the Speaker to settle the matter as soon as possible,” said the MlA.
In the court, the JVM presented all of its eight witnesses so far of which four gave their testimonies in writing and oral on Thursday. The witnesses namely KK Poddar, Sunil Sahu, Sampati Devi and Anil Mishra stated before the court that no merger plan was brought and discussed in any meeting as claimed. Cross examination of Pradeep Yadav was also done before the Speaker which would continue in next hearings.
Notably, the Speaker declined to defer the matter for the next date as requested by the MlAs citing non-availability of their advocate. The matter of defection is also pending before the High Court and there too the party has filed a petition for urgent hearing in the light of June 11 Rajya Sabha elections.
In its plea, party supremo Babulal Marandi has urged the court to intervene and hold the election till the fate of the MlAs in question
is settled.