The Nagaland Assembly Speaker Chotisuh Sazo today said he is yet to accept the defection of three out of four NCP MLAs to BJP in the state.
Three NCP MLAs led by party president and MLA Imtilemba Sangtam, Parliamentary Secretary Dr T M Lotha and Mmhonlumo Kikon on June 16 formally declared to join the BJP.
"I am still studying the papers submitted by the three former NCP MLAs about their joining BJP," Assembly Speaker Sazo told PTI here today.
"As the issue is a Constitutional matter and I need to thoroughly examine it, I am consulting legal and constitutional experts before taking any action," he said.
Asked whether action could be initiated against the three under provisions of the Anti-Defection Law, he said "Anything can happen, therefore, proper consultation is being done."
The Speaker also confirmed summoning of the former NCP president Imtilemba Sangtam for validation of the three MLAs joining BJP and said Sangtam had met him yesterday.
Though the Assembly Speaker may not have formally accepted the three NCP MLAs joining the BJP, state BJP spokesperson James Vizo said the party's state president Dr M Chuba Ao has taken two former NCP MLAs to New Delhi for introducing them to the BJP central leadership.
The joining of the three NCP MLAs have increased the strength of BJP from one to four in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly, while NCP was now left with only one MLA.
