MP BJP undecided on Akash; disciplinary panel says matter has

Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi disapproved the conduct of Akash Vijayvargiya who assaulted a civic official, the Madhya Pradesh BJP said Thursday that it had not taken any decision about the action to be taken regarding the Indore MLA.

The disciplinary panel of the state BJP said, meanwhile, that the matter was yet to be placed before it.

Madhya Pradesh BJP chief and Jabalpur MP Rakesh Singh who met party leaders in Bhopal will submit a report and the party's parliamentary board will take decision, a source said.

Singh arrived in Bhopal from Delhi in the middle of a Parliament session and held meetings with state BJP leaders.

 

Babusingh Raghuvanshi, convenor of the three-member disciplinary committee of the state BJP, said it has not issued a show-cause notice to Akash so far. "The matter has not come to us yet," he told reporters in Indore.

Akash, first-time MLA and son of BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, attacked a civic official with a cricket bat in Indore while opposing demolition of a house on June 26.

He was arrested the same day and released on bail four days later.

Singh, considered to be close to BJP chief and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had already talked with BJP vice president Shivraj Singh Chouhan who does not get along well with Vijayvargiya senior, party sources said.

Singh also talked with Kailash Vijavargiya on phone, they added.

When Singh arrived at the party office in Bhopal Thursday, reporters asked him if any notice has been issued to the MLA.

"No notice has been served. You will be informed in ten minutes," he said.

However, emerging out of the office an hour later, he said no decision had been taken.

"We have not taken a decision. BJP follows a procedure. You will be informed accordingly," Singh said.

He was scheduled to fly to Delhi later in the evening.

A BJP leader said Singh will submit a report on the June 26 incident involving Akash Vijayvargiya to the party high command, and its parliamentary board would decide on the action to be taken.

During a BJP parliamentary party meeting Tuesday, prime minister Modi had said that arrogance and misbehavior cannot be tolerated.

According to sources, he said that "whoever it may be, whoever's son he may be...such arrogance, misbehaviour cannot be tolerated" and action should be taken.