New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind gave his nod to the disqualification of 20 MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for holding offices of profit, a move the party described as "unconstitutional" and "dangerous for democracy".
Reacting to the development, senior AAP leader Ashutosh said, "President's order to disqualify AAP MLAs is unconstitutional and dangerous for democracy."
The party also said that it will knock the doors of the High Court and even the Supreme Court, if required.
Gopal Rai, Rural Development Minister of Delhi, said, "We had hoped to go to the President asking him to give us a chance to present ourselves. Now we received this news. AAP will knock the doors of HC and even SC if the need be."
Meanwhile, opposition welcomed the presidential nod to the Election Commission's recommendation.
Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said that the decision has "protected" India's democratic values.
Tiwari also demanded for repaying of the benefits enjoyed by the disqualified MLAs as parliamentary secretaries.
"People of Delhi feel that the Aam Aadmi Party MLAs must now return all financial benefits they were given from the day they were appointed as parliamentary secretaries," he said.
Congress too reacted to the development and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken also said that his party was ready for bypolls.
He also reiterated the allegation that the BJP and the Election Commission (EC) had "helped the AAP by delaying the disqualification process and enabled it to send its three candidates to the Rajya Sabha".
"The delay was deliberate and due to a deal between the BJP and the AAP, the EC knowingly did so," Maken said, rubbishing the AAP's claim that the disqualified MLAs were not given a hearing by the EC to present their case.
(With agency inputs)
