BJP’s Sobharani Kushwa and Congress’ Kuldeep Bishnoi had cross-voted for other parties.
New Delhi: A day after they cross-voted for candidates of other parties in the Rajya Sabha polls, a BJP MLA of Rajasthan and a Congress MLA of Haryana were suspended from the respective parties. In Rajasthan, BJP MLA from Dholpur Shobharani Kushwah had voted for the Congress while in Haryana, Ajay Maken, failed to clinch a seat due to Adampur MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi’s cross-voting for BJP.
Shobharani Kushwaha’s husband, former MLA B L Kushwah, is now in jail in a case of honour killing. Following his incarceration, B L Kushwah lost his Assembly membership which paved way for Shobharani Kushwah’s way to get a ticket.
On the cross-voting, Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria said, “There will be action. A notice will reach her for violating the party whip. No one can deny that the whip has been violated since it is on authorised documents.” Meanwhile, Shobharani has not offered any statement in her defence yet. Kataria, however, said that if she doesn’t respond to a showcause notice within seven days, the party will be free to take action against her.
In the evening, Congress President Sonia Gandhi expelled Haryana Congress MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi for cross-voting in favour of BJP. Bishnoi’s cross-voting led Ajay Maken to miss out on clinching a Rajya Sabha seat.
In a tweet, the Haryana unit of the Congress party said, “Continuing with policy of zero tolerance to indiscipline, Shri Kuldeep Bishnoi is hereby expelled from all his present party positions including the post of Special Invitee of the Congress Working Committee for his anti-party activities.”
In a tweet on the morning of the Rajya Sabha polls, Bishnoi had said, “I know how to crush a snake’s hood. I do not leave the jungle in fear of snakes.”
