Bina MLA who campaigned for BJP in LS polls tells HC she’s still with Cong

Bhopal/Jabalpur: Congress MLA from Bina, Nirmala Sapre, who owed her allegiance to BJP in 2023 ahead of 2024 general elections, on Thursday told the court that she is a Congress party member and would remain with the Grand Old Party.

She said this in a reply to LOP Umang Singhar’s petition seeking her disqualification from the assembly on the ground that she has joined the BJP.Taking the statement given on behalf of Nirmala Sapre on record, the bench of acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal reserved judgment over the petition.First time legislator Sapre won the assembly election from Bina on a Congress ticket in 2023. But six months later, in the middle of the Lok Sabha campaign, she was seen on a BJP dais in Rahatgarh on May 5, 2024.

She announced joining the BJP and was welcomed on the dais in the presence of chief minister Mohan Yadav. But till today, Sapre has not been given the primary membership in the BJP while the Congress has taken her to court in a defection case.Singhar in his petition said that Sapre had joined the BJP party before the 2024 general election itself but more than two years after that, the speaker of the state assembly has taken no decision on her disqualification from the membership of the House under the anti-defection law.

After her announcement of joining the BJP during the Lok Sabha elections, she should have resigned from the Congress party and membership of the state assembly.

“Her continuation in the state assembly as a member is illegal and her membership must be declared null & void,” he pleaded.On one occasion, recently, Sapre, when asked about her status, replied, “I didn’t take the matter to court. LOP Singhar went to court. I will go with the party that invites me. I want Singhar to make Bina a district and give Rs 300 crores for development works. Whoever makes Bina a district, I will go with them.” However, there was no taker for her proposal leaving her high and dry.The BJP refuses to accept her and the Congress no longer wants her after disloyalty towards the party.