Thursday, March 23 2006 15:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Stepping up its offensive, BJP today(Mar 23,2006) petitioned President A P J Abdul Kalam seeking disqualification of Congress President Sonia Gandhi on grounds of holding an office of profit as Chairperson of National Advisory Council.

A four-member party delegation submitted the petition to the President's office seeking its early forwarding to the Election Commission and hoped an 'impartial decision' would be taken.

BJP General Secretary Ananth Kumar told reporters that the party expected Kalam to keep BJP's petition also in mind in the event of the Government sending an Ordinance to him for consent to protect MPs holding offices of profit from disqualification, as was done in the case of Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan.

An NDA delegation, led by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had yesterday rushed to the Rashtrapati Bhavan soon after Parliament was adjourned sine die and urged him not to sign any such Ordinance, which it alleged was 'solely and exclusively' aimed at protecting Gandhi.

The TDP has already filed a similar petition that has been reportedly forwarded to the Election Commission by the President.