The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, over Bharatiya Janata Party leader Madan Dilawar’s petition challenging the merger of six Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs into the Congress in September last year, ANI reported. The court directed Joshi to reply by Thursday, when it will hear the petition once again.

Former Bahujan Samaj Party legislators Sandeep Yadav, Wajib Ali, Deepchand Kheria, Lakhan Meena, Jogendra Awana and Rajendra Gudha applied to join the Congress last year in an effort to beef up its numbers amid infighting within the ranks. Joshi accepted these applications.

A crisis erupted in July when former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot walked out with 18 MLAs, travelling to Delhi. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot then sought a trust vote in the Assembly. However, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati warned the six legislators against voting for the Congress, in the trust vote scheduled for August 14 – saying that if they did so, their party membership would be cancelled.

On July 27, the Rajasthan High Court rejected Dilawar’s first petition against the merger. Dilawar filed a second petition on the following day. Dilawar sought quashing of the merger of two political parties at the state level, claiming that it was unconstitutional. He also challenged the inaction of Joshi in not deciding on his plea, seeking the disqualification of the six Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs.