HVK Archives: BJP may reap benefits from Sangma's rule
BJP may reap benefits from Sangma's rule - The Economic Times
Political Bureau Agencies
()
11 September 1996
Title : BJP may reap benefits from Sangma's rule
Author : Political Bureau Agencies
Publication : The Economic Times
Date : September 11, 1996
The BJP today seized upon the Lok Sabha speaker P A
Sangma's observation, that the deputy speaker of the
Gujarat assembly had committed a constitutional
impropriety by recognising the party's splinter group, to
emphasise its political point that its rivals have been
scheming to overthrow its state government.
While addressing a press conference here yesterday, the
Lok Sabha speaker had contended that deputy speaker did
not have the powers to accord recognition to any group or
decide on any matter relating to the 10th of the
Constitution.
The party vice-president, K L Sharma, who described Mr
Sangma's observation as a clear indictment of the deputy
speaker, demanded the latter's resignation. "He has no
moral authority to continue as the deputy speaker and his
party should ask him to step down," Mr Sharma said.
The statements of Mr Sangma in Nagpur as well as Delhi
has come as a major morale booster for the party as it
has virtually closed the option of the rebel group to
challenge the subsequent ruling of the ailing speaker,
striking down the decision taken by the deputy speaker on
September 3. While there is unanimity among
constitutional experts that the deputy speaker had indeed
stepped into a terrain which do not belong to him, Mr
Sangma's statement is sure to cement this view point.
The BJP managers, who are having a difficult time to hold
its remaining flock together, feel that Mr Sangma's
observation would act as yet another deterrent for the
vascillating members. "Now those who want to join the
rebel camp is sure to rethink their strategy as the Lok
Sabha speaker, who belongs to the Gujarat deputy
speaker's party has made it clear that his rulings would
not stand scrutiny".
Encouraged by the positive signals, the chief minister
has sought a meeting with the President, Mr Shankar
Dayal.Sharma. The chief minister, Suresh Mehta, who will
call on Mr Sharma on September 13 - the concluding day of
the current session Parliament - will seek his
intervention for sorting out the crisis in Gandhinagar.
The party leadership here is hoping that the public
opinion against the deputy speaker's action on September
3 will force the governor to send a message to the deputy
speaker under Article 175(2) for taking UP the confidence
motion mooted by the chief minister. In the event of the
governor delaying his decision, the Parliament is sure to
witness another showdown on the concluding day.
Meanwhile, the former Gujarat, chief minister and sitting
Congress legislator Chhabildas Mehta has urged the Lok
Sabha speaker, P A Sangma, to correct his statement
regarding ruling of the deputy speaker of Gujarat on the
split in BJP legislature wing since, Mr Mehta felt that
Mr Sangma had made the statement out "some
misunderstanding". In a communication to the Lok Sabha
speaker, Mr Mehta today explain that Gujarat assembly
speaker H L Patel was "physically and mentally unfit" and
not attending the office since April 1996. Mr Mehta
stated that when the house was summoned on September 3,
the speaker was not fit to attend the office physically
and mentally both and hence the splinter BJP group did
not ask permission of the speaker early before September
3.
Mr Mehta said that the speaker was not acting himself as
he was not in a position to read, to talk and issue any
notice or summon. Under these circumstances, the
splinter approached the deputy speaker who was in the
speaker's chair on the day of the assembly and requested
to recognise their group and they submitted all documents
required under the anti-defection law.
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