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Bhajan Lal disqualified as MLA

CHANDIGARH: Former Haryana Chief Minister and patron of the newly-floated Haryana Janhit Congress Bhajan Lal, who represented Adampur in the State Assembly, was on Tuesday disqualified as Congress MLA by Vidhan Sabha Speaker Raghubir Singh Kadian.

The Speaker told the media that he had disqualified Mr. Lal under the anti-defection law on petitions moved by three Congress MLAs -- Jitender Malik, Ramesh Gupta and Shadi Lal Batra -- seeking disqualification of Mr. Lal and two other Congress MLAs, Dharampal Singh Malik and Rakesh Kamboj.

The Speaker had disqualified Mr. Malik and Mr. Kamboj earlier this month while he had given an opportunity to Mr. Lal to appear before him on March 24 and explain his stand. Since the former Chief Minister did not appear, the judgment was reserved on Monday.

The Speaker said he had proceeded against Mr. Lal since he had floated the new political outfit while remaining a Congress MLA at a rally at Rohtak on December 2, 2007.

The Congress high command had also suspended Mr. Lal, his younger son and Bhiwani Lok Sabha MP Kuldeep Bishnoi, besides Mr. Malik and Mr. Kamboj. Interestingly, Mr. Bishnoi, who heads the Janhit Congress and is facing disqualification proceedings in Parliament, had claimed before the media here earlier this month that he had “faxed his resignation” to the Lok Sabha Speaker.

PTI adds: Kadian read out the summary of his 55-page judgment in his office after the Assembly was adjourned for the day.

With the disqualification of three of its MLAs, the strength of ruling Congress has now been reduced to 64 in the 90 member House.

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