Jaipur: Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Deependra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday rejected the anti-defection petitions filed against 16 MLAs by a former BJP minister.
Former Minister Virendra Meena had filed two petitions challenging support of 10 Independent MLAs to the state government and defection of six BSP members to the ruling Congress.
Shekhawat rejected both the petitions on the grounds that only a sitting MLA can file such petitions.
Six MLAs -- Rajkumar Sharma, Rajendra Gudha, Girraj Malinga, Murari Meena, Ramesh Meena and Ramkesh Meena -- had won 2008 Assembly polls as BSP candidates, but later joined the Congress and became minister and parliamentary secretaries in the Gehlot government.
Meena had filed the first petition last year against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and 14 MLAs, including six those who joined Congress, and eight Independent while the second petition was filed by him six months back against two more Independent MLAs.
The former minister said that he will go to the Supreme court challenging the Speaker`s verdict.
PTI
