Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon on Wednesday informed Speaker N.P. Prajapati that the 16 rebel Congress MLAs in Bengaluru had not highlighted any problem in their letters.
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This was in response to Mr. Prajapati’s letter on Tuesday, flagging the security of the MLAs.
The Governor wrote in the letter: “You and I are continuously receiving letters from the allegedly missing MLAs. In any of the letters, wherever they are now, they have not stated any problem...”
Mr. Tandon reminded the Speaker that the responsibility for the security of all citizens in a State rests with the executive, and not with him. “So, your letter seems to have been forwarded to me by mistake.”
Mr. Prajapati informed the Governor that the MLAs had written their resignation letters under duress because neither they nor their families appeared before him when the letters were handed in. “Had the letters been presented willingly, wouldn’t have their family members, acquaintances or workers been present? This confirms the apprehension that the letters have been written under pressure,” he wrote. “Isn’t this a violation of the fundamental Right to Freedom under the Constitution?”
Responding to the questions, Mr. Tandon wrote, “The expectation of answers must certainly be under some rules, and you must have perused them. Kindly take the trouble of forwarding me the rules concerned.”
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Although 22 MLAs had tendered their resignation letters, which were submitted to the Speaker by BJP leaders, the resignation of only six of them has been accepted.
Obliquely prodding the Speaker to accept the resignation of the rest, Mr. Tandon wrote: “I appreciate your independent, courageous and quick resolution relating to the resignation of six of the 22 MLAs... I am aware of the confusion you are facing while dealing with the letters.”
Action sought
The election agent of BJP Rajya Sabha nominee Sumer Singh Solanki on Wednesday requested the Chief Election Commissioner to act against Congress nominee Digvijaya Singh for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by trying to meet the 16 Congress MLAs in Bengaluru. His aim was to pressure them to vote for him, he alleged. “He, along with Ministers, staged a protest and tried to create a law and order situation for the local administration,” he said.
