Bat-basher BJP MLA gets notice from party

Bhopal: BJP MLA Akash Vijayvargiya, who sparked a national outrage by attacking a civic official in Indore city with a cricket bat last week, was on Thursday issued a show cause notice by the party’s disciplinary committee, sources said. The action against the Madhya Pradesh legislator comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s criticism of the first-time legislator and warning that show of arrogance by party leaders will be punished.

In Bhopal, BJP leaders refused to confirm or deny the issue of notice. “As of now, no decision has been taken on the issue. Our party acts according to its constitution. If any action is taken against the legislator as per the constitution of the party, I will let you know,” state BJP president Rakesh Singh told reporters here on Thursday.

A senior BJP leader, requesting not to be quoted, said, “It may be a decision by the central party to issue show cause notice to Akash Vijayvargiya.”

Akash Vijayvargiya, 34, a first-time MLA and son of BJP national general secretary in-charge of West Bengal Kailash Vijayvargiya, along with his followers chased away some civic body officers, part of anti-encroachment wing of Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC), on June 26 and assaulted one of the official with a cricket bat.

Mr Modi has snubbed him without taking his name for his unruly behaviour saying that such leaders and their followers should be expelled from BJP.