The BJP hailed Governor Satya Pal Malik’s decision to dissolve the Legislative Assembly recently, but a sulking leader of the party, who is the former MLA from RS Pura, Gagan Bhagat, has challenged the decision in the Supreme Court.
“I filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on Thursday, challenging the decision of the Governor to dissolve the Assembly. My writ has been admitted in the court,” Bhagat told Kashmir Post. “In my writ, I have challenged the illegal action of the Governor,” he said.
Bhagat hoped that the hearing on the writ would be held in a couple of days.
He said when two groups were staking claim to form the government, there was no reason to dissolve to the Assembly. “Opportunity should have been given to form the government,” he said. He, however, refused to divulge on what grounds he had challenged the Governor’s action.
After a daylong political drama, the Governor on November 21 dissolved the Assembly following claim by two groups to form the government.
The former MLA had created embarrassment for the BJP in August this year when he supported Article 35A. He had charged the BJP with sacrificing the interests of the people of J&K by opposing Article 35A.
“Article 35A is beneficial for the people of J&K. When the Article is scrapped, nobody will go to Kashmir, they will only attack the people of Jammu. The BJP wants to take seats by sacrificing J&K,” Bhagat had alleged.
After defending Article 35A, Bhagat had on September 3 met former Chief Minister and president of the Peoples Democratic Party Mehbooba Mufti at her residence in Jammu.
Bhagat is not new to controversies. In July this year, his wife had accused him of having an extramarital affair with a college student and marrying her after which the party had asked the MLA to appear before the disciplinary committee.
Disciplinary action was initiated against Bhagat after an ex-serviceman alleged that the BJP leader had abducted his daughter from Punjab, a charge denied by the former legislator and the woman involved.
Controversy’s child
On June 24, an ex-serviceman accused BJP leader Gagan Bhagat of abducting his daughter, a charge denied by her as well as the politician
Bhagat’s objectionable videos and pictures had also gone viral in social media with the woman
His wife, who is also a BJP leader, leveled serious allegations against him
On July 26, the BJP issued a show-cause notice to Bhagat in connection with the allegations that he had abducted a woman
On August 11, Bhagat supported Article 35A, embarrassing the party leadership
