Gujarat Cong Demands Immediate Disqualification of Alpesh Thakor, Recalls ‘Quick’ Orders Against its MLAs

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Amit Chavda and other senior Congress leaders Wednesday met Gujarat Assembly speaker Rajendra Trivedi demanding the disqualification of Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor who had resigned from the Congress ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

“We have demanded that Alpesh Thakor be declared disqualified as an MLA. Just before the Lok Sabha polls, he had resigned from all the party posts and he campaigned against Congress candidates during the Lok Sabha polls,” Chavda said.

Chavda has also demanded the disqualification of BJP’s Dwarka MLA Pabubha Manek.

Last month, the Gujarat High Court invalidated the election of BJP MLA Pabubha Manek from the Dwarka Assembly constituency in 2017 and ordered a bye-poll in the seat. Manek’s victory had been challenged by Congress leader Ahir Meraman on grounds that he had not filled his nomination accurately.

A candidate from Gujarat’s Dwarka seat in 2017, Marakhibhai pointed in his petition that Manek had not filled in the name and number of his constituency in the form. Instead, that field contained the name of Manek’s proposer (who recommends a candidate’s name).

Chavda told reporters that his party has demanded immediate disqualification of Dwarka BJP MLA Pabubha Manek and that “his privileges (be) curtailed after Gujarat High Court invalidated his elections”.

Congress leaders reminded that Gujarat Assembly speaker Rajendra Trivedi was quick to disqualify Talala Congress MLA Bhagabhai Barad after a local court convicted him in an illegal mining case.

“Gujarat Assembly speaker was quick in disqualification of Congress Talala MLA Bhagabhai Barad. Then why so much delay in declaring BJP MLA Pabubha Manek’s disqualification even after the Gujarat High Court order?” alleged Chavda.

Barad was disqualified on March 5, following which the Election Commission issued a notification on March 10 declaring a bye-poll for the seat.

The former Talala MLA had moved the Supreme Court against a March 27 order of the Gujarat High Court that had dismissed his plea against his disqualification and against the poll panel’s decision to declare a bye-election.

Amit Chavda was accompanied by Leader of opposition in state assembly Paresh Dhanani, Congress MLAs and other senior leaders.