Convene House, BJP tells govt

The BJP has demanded immediate reconvening of Parliament to discuss the issue of office of profit and its "inept handling" by the government. A resolution to this effect was passed at a meeting of the party office-bearers today.

Party president Rajnath Singh indicated the BJP was not averse to a Bill mentioning which posts were exempt from Articles 102 and 103 of the Constitution, which lay down guidelines for disqualification of members of Parliament. "Let the Bill first come up for discussion. We have kept options open," he said.

Senior party leaders were of the view that there was a need for clarity on the issue and that the government's panic reaction to petitions challenging Sonia Gandhi's membership of the House had given the party an issue.

Singh said Sonia's resignation was a ploy to make the best out of a bad situation. "Till date no satisfactory explanation has been offered by the government as to why was the Budget session adjourned sine die in such an abrupt manner," he said.

"The very fact that Congressmen consider Sonia Gandhi's resignation a master stroke means that it a cynical move, not motivated by ethics and morality," he said. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, LK Advani, too, termed Sonia's resignation a drama.

The party said if any BJP MP was accused of holding an office of profit, he would face the EC and the House. "The definition of office of profit is not clear. We have asked our members to face the inquiry," said Rajnath Singh.

To events in Jharkhand where the BJP-led government had brought a legislation to save at least four of its MLAs from being disqualified for holding offices of profit, Rajnath said, "State governments are well within their rights to do this."