Ajit Jogi, Congress seek action against parliamentary secretaries in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Amid the controversy over appointment of 21 MLAs as parliamentary secretaries by the AAP Government in Delhi, Congress and the former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi today questioned similar appointments by the BJP Government in Chhattisgarh.

Jogi and state Congress separately demanded that 11 BJP MLAs, appointed as parliamentary secretaries in Chhattisgarh, be disqualified for holding an office of profit.

Jogi (who has quit Congress to form a new party) and his supporters submitted a memorandum to the Governor Balramji Das Tandon, saying that the parliamentary secretaries in Chhattisgarh are receiving extra salary and facilities, which shows that they are holding an `office of profit'.

They are enjoying the status of cabinet minister, have separate cabins at Mantralaya, are authorised to use red beacons, etc., the memorandum said, pointing out that under the Constitution, MLAs or MPs cannot hold an office of profit.

Congress accused the ruling party of having double standard. "BJP wants to get the 21 AAP MLAs who have been nominated as parliamentary secretaries in Delhi disqualified. Then why don't they take action in Chhattisgarh where 11 BJP MLAs are parliamentary secretaries?" asked the state Congress spokesperson Sushil Anand Shukla.