Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 3 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday criticised the Rajya Sabha Chairman for rejecting the demand to initiate action under the anti-defection law against seven MPs who allegedly split from their party and merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In a post on X, Raut said, 'The seven MPs of 'your' party have split and merged into the BJP. The demand to take action against them under the anti-defection law was rejected by the Rajya Sabha Chairman. All civility in politics has come to an end. The Rajya Sabha and Legislative Councils have now become a playground for the rich.'

https://x.com/rautsanjay61/status/2050752919218340343?s=20

Earlier, Delhi Leader of Opposition and AAP MLA Atishi termed the Rajya Sabha Secretariat's notification accepting the merger of seven party MPs into the BJP as 'unlawful and unconstitutional.'

Addressing a press conference, Atishi explained that under the constitution, if a particular political party merges with another political bloc, 2/3rd support of its legislative party is also required. She further noted that in the case of anti-defection laws, there is no such provision that 2/3rd MPs or MLAs of a particular party can merge with another party, which was explained by AAP MP Sanjay Singh to Rajya Sabha chairperson.

'The merger notification by Rajya Sabha Secretariat is unlawful and unconstitutional. Supreme Court's constitution bench has passed clear orders and it is clearly written in the Constitution, and AAP MP Sanjay Singh had also informed the Rajya Sabha Secretariat about the same - that as per the Constitution, when the original political party merges, for that merger 2/3rd legislative party is also required. But under anti-defection laws, there is no provision in this country that 2/3rd MPs or MLAs can merge with another party,' said Atishi.

The AAP MLA further accused the BJP of finishing the constitution, warning the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of worse fate, as greater it will unleash the atrocities on opposition.

'But how does it matter to the BJP? BJP wants to finish off the Constitution and democracy of this country by hook or by crook...I would like to tell the BJP and PM Narendra Modi that history says that the greater the atrocities you unleash, the worse the fate you will meet. It is clear that the time for the end of BJP and Modi ji's politics is near. So, their atrocities have increased. But in the history of this world, whenever atrocities have increased, there has come along someone to end those atrocities,' she said.

The remarks come after seven MPs from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) merged with the BJP in the Rajya Sabha.

The trio of MPs--Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal--parted ways with the AAP on Friday and subsequently joined the BJP in the presence of party leadership. Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, and Swati Maliwal had also switched to the BJP.

The BJP's strength in the Rajya Sabha increased to 113 after Chairman CP Radhakrishnan approved the merger of Raghav Chadha and six other MPs who quit the AAP.

Losing two-thirds of its MPs has been a big setback for the AAP, which is now reduced to a strength of three members in the Upper House of Parliament. (ANI)