Anti-defection: SC gives 4 weeks to file reply to six Rajasthan BSP MLAs who joined Congress

The Supreme Court on Thursday gave four weeks' time to six Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs, who joined Congress in 2019, to file their final reply before it in connection with a matter related to anti-defection.

Among the six MLAs, four -- Rajendra Singh Gudha, Wajib Ali, Lakhan Singh and Sandeep Yadav are in Delhi to have discussions with lawyers and to seek their opinion. Jogendra Singh Awana and Deepchand Kheria are in Rajasthan.

They had won the 2018 assembly elections on BSP tickets. However, they left the BSP and joined the Congress in September 2019, which has been challenged in the Supreme Court under the anti-defection law by BSP leader Satish Chand Sharma.

Joginder Singh Awana and Deepchand Kheria met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot last night.

"Yesterday, I met the Chief Minister and Deepchand Kheria. We discussed the notice received by the Supreme Court. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is more concerned than us, he is our chief, our leader. We changed party by staying within the ambit of the law, if six of the six MLAs had joined together, then there would have been a problem. We have full confidence, whatever decision will come on the Supreme Court, will come in our interest, we have full confidence that we have merged only after completing the whole process," said Joginder Singh.

Cabinet Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said that we are standing with all the six MLAs of BSP.

"Six BSP MLAs joined Congress as per the law. The entire Congress party and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is standing with them," said Khachariyawas.

Mahesh Joshi, Chief Whip, Congress said that the six MLAs from BSP merged with the Congress after completing the legal process.

"The issue is in the Supreme Court, he is a Congress MLA, not a BSP MLA, after completing the legal process they merged with the Congress. The whole Congress party is standing with the six MLAs who have come from the BSP, we will fight the battle together. They are members of the Congress and will continue to do so," added Joshi.

( With inputs from ANI )

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