BJP wants Meira to quit Cong

The Opposition BJP on Thursday urged Meira Kumar to follow the precedent set by former Lok Sabha Speakers Shivraj Patil and G M C Balayogi and resign from her party after assuming charge of the constitutional post. The party said Meira must resign from the membership of the Congress to affirm her non-partisan approach towards her responsibility as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

The present Speaker should ideally resign from the membership of the Congress as conventionally the Speaker does so and then regains it (party membership) after the term gets over. Shivraj Patil and G M C Balayogi had resigned when they became Speaker, said Sushma Swaraj,Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Swaraj,however,added that Meira could do so mentally if she did not wish to resign physically. She should look at both sides (Treasury and Opposition benches) neutrally. Conduct speaks more than party membership, Swaraj emphasised.