Congress wants disqualification of Alpesh Thakor as MLA; moves High Court

Ahmedabad: Gujarat state assembly speaker Rajendra Trivedi and former Congress Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Alpesh Thakor were served notice on Monday by the Gujarat High Court after the Congress party demanded that Thakor must be disqualified as an elected representative.

The Congress said that its submission before Trivedi seeking Thakor’s resignation as an MLA was not acknowledged.

“Thakor was elected on the mandate of the Congress party. When he has resigned from all other posts, he should cease to be MLA as well. We had asked the speaker to take necessary action. In two months, the speaker has not done so, leaving us to take legal recourse,” Hindustan Times quoted Congress chief whip and petitioner Ashwin Kotwal.

The matter is placed for hearing before the Supreme Court on June 27.

Trivedi and Thakor, however, have denied receiving any notice.

Thakor was the Congress’ secretary and co-in charge of Bihar when he resigned in April amid Lok Sabha elections. He claimed that Thakor community, to which he belongs to, was neglected by the party.

There are rumors of Thakor joining the BJP along with Congress’ Bayad MLA Dhavalsinh Zala.

Zala on Monday alleged he was not invited for a party meeting slated the same evening to prepare for the Rajya Sabha elections.