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Six more MLAs will leave `I` group: Speaker
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 28: Denying the charge that he was threatening `I` group MLAs with disqualification to protect the A K Anthony government, Kerala Assembly Speaker Vakkom Purushothaman today said six more legislators of the Karunakaran camp had `confided` to him that they would not leave the party if the present wrangles headed for a split.
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 28: Denying the charge that
he was threatening 'I' group MLAs with disqualification to
protect the A K Anthony government, Kerala Assembly Speaker
Vakkom Purushothaman today said six more legislators of the
Karunakaran camp had "confided" to him that they would not
leave the party if the present wrangles headed for a split.
"That Congress MLAs are reluctant to leave the party is
evident from the numbers belonging to ‘I’ faction coming
down from 26 to 21 and then to 19 yesterday. Six more MLAs of
the group told me that they will not leave the party if it
comes to a split," he told reporters here without specifying
names.
Denying the charge that he was threatening MLAs, he said he felt that the allegation was indeed against MLAs.
"I don't think our MLAs will be scared if I threaten them. I am not mad to disqualify anyone without reason. If they ( I faction) are not able to get the numbers for an alternative, don't blame me for that," he said.
Purushothaman said party MLAs had been visiting him in recent days and as a Congressman, he had advised them against splitting the party. "I felt that no Congress MLA is happy about leaving the party." The Speaker said he had also requested senior leader K Karunakaran, whom he held in high esteem, to work within the party instead of trying to divide it. A split would only benefit the party's enemies, he said.
Purushothaman said he could only use certain legal powers vested with the Speaker in connection with the anti-defection law if the situation warranted.
He said he was proud of the Congress MLAs who did not yield to `big offers', including ministerial posts.
Asked which faction made the offers, he said "do you think Antony can give a paise to any MLA? Several persons who could not get things done because he is in the chair are camping here."
On his statement yesterday that the `price' of an MLA was almost Rs 1 crore now, Purushothaman said he was not in a position to disclose the source of the information. He said the crisis could be overcome "if certain persons had the good sense".
He described as a `great joke' Congress chief whip P P George's statement that the ‘I’ group would complain against the Speaker to the authorities. "At best they can file a notice for removal of the Speaker when the assembly meets," he said. Bureau Report
Denying the charge that he was threatening MLAs, he said he felt that the allegation was indeed against MLAs.
"I don't think our MLAs will be scared if I threaten them. I am not mad to disqualify anyone without reason. If they ( I faction) are not able to get the numbers for an alternative, don't blame me for that," he said.
Purushothaman said party MLAs had been visiting him in recent days and as a Congressman, he had advised them against splitting the party. "I felt that no Congress MLA is happy about leaving the party." The Speaker said he had also requested senior leader K Karunakaran, whom he held in high esteem, to work within the party instead of trying to divide it. A split would only benefit the party's enemies, he said.
Purushothaman said he could only use certain legal powers vested with the Speaker in connection with the anti-defection law if the situation warranted.
He said he was proud of the Congress MLAs who did not yield to `big offers', including ministerial posts.
Asked which faction made the offers, he said "do you think Antony can give a paise to any MLA? Several persons who could not get things done because he is in the chair are camping here."
On his statement yesterday that the `price' of an MLA was almost Rs 1 crore now, Purushothaman said he was not in a position to disclose the source of the information. He said the crisis could be overcome "if certain persons had the good sense".
He described as a `great joke' Congress chief whip P P George's statement that the ‘I’ group would complain against the Speaker to the authorities. "At best they can file a notice for removal of the Speaker when the assembly meets," he said. Bureau Report