Rajasthan MLA fails to resign as speaker out

Even as former minister of state for health and now independent MLA from Navalgarh, Rajkumar Sharma had announced his plan to register his protest against the Rajasthan government's handling of the 12-day doctor strike, he could not see it to fruition as Assembly speaker Kailash Meghwal was not in Jaipur. According to the rules, a member can hand over their resignation only to the speaker.

Assembly secretary Prithviraj was also not present as he was at an official exam to hire stenographers for the assembly. Sharma has now been asked to come in on Monday.

"The speaker had left for Bhilwara early on Friday and will be back on Monday. I will meet him then and hand over my resignation," said Sharma. He had reportedly come the Vidhan Sabha without a prior appointment with the speaker.

Sharma continued his offensive against the health minister and demanded that Kalicharan Saraf should take moral responsibility for the 304 deaths that occurred during the strike and resign from his post.

On the question of whether he would later contest the by-election, Sharma said, "I will submit my resignation, but for there to be a bypoll, it has to be accepted by the speaker first."