Ex-Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) MLA Suvendu Adhikari on Friday, 18 June, approached Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee with a petition that seeks to disqualify TMC member Mukul Roy as a member of the West Bengal legislative Assembly under the anti-defection law.
Days after the former BJP national vice-president joined the TMC, Adhikari's petition stated:
“Respected Sir, Petition for Disqualification of Sri Mukul Roy, Member of Legislative Assembly from 83, Krishnanagar Uttar Assembly Constituency is enclosed herewith. I request you to dispose of the same as soon as possible. (sic)“As quoted by ANI
On an earlier occasion, Adhikari had demanded the resignation of the TMC functionary, asserting that Roy had moved to TMC despite having been elected to the Assembly on a BJP ticket.
Addressing the Press on 15 June, he stated, "The work will be done under the anti-defection law, whoever wants to go, should resign from the post of MLA. I will send a letter to the speaker in 24 hours and wait for 15 days, after which we also have options of the High Court and the Supreme Court," ANI quoted.
Adhikari also led 50 BJP MLAs to sign a memorandum addressed to West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar earlier on Friday.
The governor said, "Being the Constitutional head of the state, let me make it clear that the anti-defection law is applicable in full force in Bengal. It is as much applicable here as in other parts of the country."
In the recently concluded elections, the TMC won a decisive victory by winning 213 seats in the 294-member Bengal assembly.
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