Lucknow: In an extremely rare development, many Opposition MLAs from Uttar Pradesh joined numerous BJP MLAs, who were protesting against their own government after the Speaker refused to let a BJP legislator discuss the alleged high-handedness of an official.
According to reports, after BJP MLA Nand Kishore Gujjar was not allowed to speak in the Assembly about the misbehaviour of officials in his constituency (Loni in Ghaziabad), about 70 BJP MLAs came out in his support, though Opposition leaders claim the number was much higher at around 150.
Though the Speaker hastily adjourned the assembly after Samajwadi Party MLAs came out in support of Gujjar, the BJP MLAs held a meeting in the lobby area on Tuesday evening.
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Even after the Speaker called it a day, some members from both sides kept occupying their seats.
Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna tried to pacify the agitated legislators but the latter were unrelenting.
The legislators were then called into the Speaker's chamber for detailed talks.
The MLAs said that they would not budge from their 'dharna' until the erring officials in Ghaziabad were called and made to apologise.
MLAs end 'dharna' after being given assurance
However, later in the evening, the legislators agreed to wait till Wednesday and warned that they would resume their campaign if action was not taken. Speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit said that he assured the Legislators that their issues would be resolved.
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Meanwhile, the BJP has set up a committee of senior MLAs that will summon the District Magistrate and the SSP on Wednesday and resolve the issue.
169 MLAs signed against BJP govt, it is in minority: Leader of Opposition
Samajwadi Party MLA and the Leader of the Opposition in the UP Assembly, Ram Govind Chaudhary made a big claim as he said as many as 169 BJP MLAs were against their own government.
Speaking to reporters, Chaudhary said that this was the first time that such a thing was happening in any state Assembly of the nation. "169 MLAs have signed against the government. Hence, the government is in minority," he said, adding that the Yogi government had no right to stay in power.
"If the Chief Minister has any sort of morality left, he must immediately resign." he added.
Black day for UP Assembly: Congress leader
Congress Legislative Party Leader Aradhana Misra Mona said it was perhaps for the first time that a ruling party MLA was not allowed to put forward his issue.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, she said that it was a black day in the history of the Uttar Pradesh State Assembly.
"This just proves that this government, which is immersed in ego, does not listen to its own MLAs, let alone farmers or the people," she said.
Incidentally, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was not in Lucknow when these developments took place. He was campaigning in Jharkhand.
Earlier this month, Gurjar's representative was arrested in Ghaziabad for allegedly manhandling the food inspector at the MLA's office.
Gurjar levelled allegations of corruption against the food inspector after the arrest.
The Loni MLA is also an accused in the case and been served a show cause notice by the party over it.
"A lobby of the BJP is active against me and they are hatching a conspiracy to tarnish my reputation. They provoked the food inspector into lodging an FIR against me," the MLA had then alleged.
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