Merger of 7 AAP MPs with BJP unconstitutional, says Kapil Sibal
Independent MP and former Union law minister Kapil Sibal on Saturday accused the BJP of perpetrating “unconstitutional activities” such as the merger of seven AAP MPs into it even without the merger of two-thirds of the party.
He also asked if the prime minister of the country lacks the courage to counter the president of the United States for calling India a “hellhole,” how can the Rajya Sabha chairman muster the courage to decide on a petition on the disqualification of these MPs.
In a surprise move on Friday, seven Rajya Sabha MPs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including six from Punjab, defected to the BJP.
These included Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Swati Maliwan and Vikramjit Sahney.
Addressing a press conference here, Sibal claimed that the merger of AAP MPs into the BJP is unconstitutional, as the law permits it only if the party is merged first.
Anyone cannot simply merge on their own, Sibal said, the Constitution says that first the political party must take a decision at the organisational level, pass a resolution deciding that as a political party they want to merge with the BJP, and only then can it be done.
The party merges first and then the MPs, the opposite cannot happen, he said, adding that it is against Schedule 10 of the Constitution.
On disqualification of the AAP MPs, the former Union minister said, “What courage will the Rajya Sabha chairman have in deciding a disqualification petition if the prime minister does not have the courage to even respond to President Trump? You keep quiet.”
“The way you (the prime minister) surrender (before Trump) is the way AAP members surrendered to you. It is the same.
