Lok Sabha Speaker orders probe into MP's defection

Following disqualification request by YSR Congress leader Mekhapati Rajamohon Reddy against their Parliamentary party member Kothapathy Geetha from Lok Sabha as she had allegedly joined TDP in Andhra Pradesh, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, on Tuesday, referred a disqualification petition to the Privilege Committee as per the tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

However, taking stock of the sensitivity of the matter, the Speaker just referred the petition for a preliminary enquiry about the allegation. On the other hand, the YSR Congress leader wanted Geetha's immediate disqualification from her membership of the parliament.

The issue seems turning into a bigger controversy before the Presidential poll as YSR Congress has already declared their support for NDA candidate and some of the party members feel that TDP is trying to poach their party with illegal motive. Earlier Geetha had given a public statement that she was still in the YSR Congress and never joined TDP. Going by her statement Speaker had no choice but to refer the matter for a preliminary enquiry before coming to a conclusion.

It may be noted that Geetha defeated veteran Congress leader and former union minister Kishore Chandra Deo in 2014. But in the very next year, CBI filed a charge-sheet against Geetha and her husband for duping Punjub National Bank to cash tune of more than Rs 42 crores. However, she was later acquitted by the court but her husband was convicted for the same charge. Right after the court's verdict, she had reportedly been trying gravitate towards TDP, the ruling party of the Andhra Pradesh. This issue is likely to rock parliament in the coming winter session.