New Delhi: A delegation of 50 UPA MPs and MLAs from Jharkhand met President APJ Abdul Kalam and demanded that he ask Governor Syed Sibte Razi not to give his assent to a Bill, which aims to save five NDA MLAs in the state from disqualification for holding offices of profit.
"The governor may kindly be directed to look into the developments objectively and save democracy in Jharkhand. The governor should not accord assent to the Bill, as it will create a wrong precedent and save the wrong doers," their memorandum said.
Passed by the Arjun Munda government, the bill is an attempt to bail out NDA MLAs holding offices of profit.
JMM chief and Union Minister Shibu Soren, Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly Sudhir Mahato and Independent MLA Stephen Marandi later told reporters that the President assured them that he would look into their demand and 'consider it seriously'.
The delegation told the President that institutions of democracy were being 'ruthlessly demolished' in Jharkhand.
The leaders said the state government had 'hurriedly introduced the Bill completely ignoring procedure and precedence', as five of its MLAs risk disqualification for holding offices of profit. The NDA has a thin majority in the 82-member House.
Meanwhile, even as a threat to its survival seemed to stare at the NDA Government, the BJP central leadership has put up a brave face claiming the Arjun Munda Government was 'comfortable' and its MLAs were on a 'vacation' in Rajasthan.
As opposition UPA is seeking disqualification of 13 ruling alliance MLAs for allegedly holding offices of profit.
But BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said: "We are comfortable. The UPA is projecting as if we are going. We are united. There is no threat to our Government."
Chief Minister Munda, while leading 40 MLAs to Jaipur via Delhi, claimed there was no threat to his government and efforts to topple his government would fail.
While UPA leaders alleged that the abrupt Rajasthan visit reflected the 'nervousness' in the ruling coalition, Javadekar said: "They are on a vacation, a holiday. After a stormy session, the MLAs needed a break."
Javadekar said the state Assembly has also passed a resolution on the office-of-profit issue and hence no MLA faced disqualification.
In the 82-member Jharkhand assembly, a minor tilt in the arithmetic can bring the government to the precipice. While NDA has 43 MLAs, UPA enjoys the support of 39.
(With agency inputs)
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