Lucknow: The 10 dissident BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) MLAs were on November 12 served show-cause notices by UP Assembly Speaker Kesri Nath Tripathi on a demand for their disqualification for proposing arms dealer Suresh Nanda nomination for Rajya Sabha polls even as the rebels vowed to defy the party stand on legislative council elections.

The dissident legislators have been asked to give their reply by November 19, Tripathi told reporters in Lucknow.

Asked if these MLAs would be barred from casting votes in the House, Tripathi said it all depends on the discretion of the Speaker as the Constitution has bestowed authority on him (Speaker) to issue an interim order.

He, however, said the dissidents can cast votes in the Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council) election slated for November 18 as the leader of BJP legislature party Lalji Tandon, who sought the rebels' disqualification, has not asked for any interim order to "de-franchise" them.

Asked whether the dissidents are bound by the whip the party may issue for Vidhan Parishad elections, the Speaker said technically they are still members of BJP as per Assembly records and, therefore, they are bound by existing laws.

The dissidents have backed the candidature of Yashwant Singh of Lok Janshakti Party for the bye-election to a legislative council seat, going against the joint decision of BJP and its allies BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) and Rashtriya Lok Dal to support their official nominee Munna Singh Chauhan of RLD (Rashtriya Lok Dal).

PTI