Venkaiah Naidu calls for relook at anti-defection law

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today favoured taking a relook at the anti-defection law.

The suggestion came against the backdrop of a large number of MLAs from opposition parties joining the ruling parties in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

"Everybody has a right to change party. But, after changing the party, by evening, one should respectably quit the position that came because of the party. But that is not happening in most of the states in the country," the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said.

The senior BJP Minister was quick to add he is not talking about any particular party.

"So, there is a need to relook at the law on party defections. Earlier, it is said in the law that it would apply if you change individually and does not apply if changes are wholesale.

"Now people have started changing wholesale. It would help if a rule is made that (your) position would go if party is changed, either individually or wholesale. I am not saying this with any party in view. Because I am Parliamentary Affairs Minister, I am talking about the entire country," he said.