BJP miffed at EC move to disqualify MP ahead of poll

Left with little hope in the presidential polls, BJP on Friday expressed reservations over the Election Commission's recommendation to disqualify one of its MPs from Madhya Pradesh ahead of the July 19 contest.

Senior BJP leader and NDA spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said the EC should have kept on hold till July 19 its recommendation to disqualify party MP Krishan Murari Moghe in an officeof-profit complaint. ‘‘It would have been appropriate if they had waited until July 19,'' she said. BJP feels that if the order of disqualification, which has to be notified by President A P J Abdul Kalam's office, is not sent to Moghe before July 19, he would be eligible to cast his vote in the presidential elections.

However, if the notification from the President is sent to Moghe before the presidential polls, the NDA, which is backing V-P Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as its candidate, stands to lose 708 votes, which is what Madhya Pradesh MP's vote is worth in the electoral college.