‘Manmohan not expected to use murder convicted MPs’

There are three MPs, all from Bihar, who have been tried and convicted and their sentences have not been stayed by any court.

As the UPA coalition decided on July 22 as the date for seeking a trust vote in the Lok Sabha, the BJP on Friday said it ‘expects’ Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not to take support of MPs ‘convicted of murder charges’ for the government’s survival.

There are three MPs, all from Bihar, who have been tried and convicted and their sentences have not been stayed by any court.

“We expect Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not to take support of the MPs who have been convicted of murder charges,” party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters in New Delhi.

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“We at least expect that this government will not maneuver majority by the MPs who are convicted on murder charges and are in jails,” he said adding, the Representation of People’s Act debars a person convicted for more than two years from voting in Parliament.

On being asked about BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, he said that in his case the Supreme Court had said, “The sentence will not operate on its eligibility to contest or represent”.

As the withdrawal of the Left support has led UPA government to seek trust vote in Parliament on July 22, the Congress headed coalition is counting on each MP for its survival.

Three MPs Suraj Bhan, Shahabuddin and Pappu Yadav are serving sentences in various jails.