The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a writ petition seeking directions to prevent political leaders from switching parties, observing that the plea was based on “vague, wild and casual allegations” without any supporting material on record.
The plea comes amid speculation of split and internal turmoil in major opposition parties – the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Shiv Sena-UBT and the Samajwadi Party (SP).
During the hearing, advocate CR Jaya Sukin, alleged that party leaders were being induced to switch sides through corruption or coercion, according to Bar and Bench.
“In this country, party leaders are either indulging in corruption by giving bribes, or threatening that family members will be hurt if they don’t join the party,” Bar and Bench quoted Sukin as saying in his submission.
Questioning the broad nature of the allegations, the Bench asked which ruling party was being referred to.
“Which ruling party? In your state, parties keep changing,” the Chief Justice remarked.
‘You asked for a min, we gave 7’
Sukin responded that in certain states, legislators were resigning from their parties and joining rival political formations shortly after their resignations were accepted by the Speaker.
“One state in East India and one in Middle India, party leaders are joining other parties. The Speaker must investigate the resigning leaders. Speakers call the media, accept the letter and within minutes they join another party. This is destroying democracy,” he argued.
The Court, however, found no merit in the plea and declined to entertain it.
“You asked for one minute, we gave you seven minutes,” the Chief Justice observed before dismissing the petition.
Dismissing the matter, the Bench said the plea was founded on “vague, wild and casual allegations” and lacked any reliable material on record.
“We see no ground to interfere,” the Court said.
Trinamool Congress, Sena-UBT crisis
While Advocate Sukin did not name any state or political party during the hearing, his arguments indicated reference to the rebellion crisis that has primarily gripped the TMC and the Shiv Sena-UBT. Rumours of a split brewing in the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party have also surfaced recently.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing a rebellion with MLAs breaking rank to recognise themselves as principal Opposition in West Bengal assembly first then at least 20 MPs announcing their merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). Terming it an “illegal breakaway”, the Congress alleged that the move was aimed at helping the NDA improve its numbers in the Lok Sabha.
A BJP MP involved in the discussions told Hindustan Times that the NCPI was chosen to preserve the rebels’ connection to West Bengal while extending a symbolic reach to the Northeast.
If the merger is approved, the TMC’s strength in the Lok Sabha would fall from around 28 to eight members, while the NDA’s tally would rise from 294 to 314. Even then, the ruling alliance would remain 46 seats short of the two-thirds majority mark.
The crisis within the TMC surfaced after the party suffered a major defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections, ending its 15-year rule in the state. The BJP secured a decisive victory, with Suvendu Adhikari becoming Chief Minister.
The move by MPs came days after 58 of 80 TMC MLAs backed rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.
The developments come as the NDA government pushes to secure support for the proposed delimitation bill. The alliance is currently short of 46 members to reach the two-thirds majority mark in the Lok Sabha required for the measure.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) had played a key role in defeating a constitutional amendment bill related to delimitation earlier this year.
In Maharashtra, signs of an alleged attempt – described as ‘Operation Tiger’ – by the BJP-Shiv Sena to poach elected leaders surfaced four days ago, when some Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs failed to personally attend a meeting called by faction chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence in Mumbai. Then, on Tuesday, the rebel MPs severed communication with party leaders. It reached a critcal stage when the six dissident MPs defied the party’s whip calling a meeting of the Sena (UBT)’s parliamentary party in Delhi on Thursday.
The six MPs reportedly are – Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim), Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli), Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North-East) and Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv).