A former Bhumjaithai MP has asked the Election Commission (EC) to look into what he called the “questionable expulsion” of Padipat Suntiphada from the Move Forward party.
Supachai Jaismut revealed that he is ultimately seeking the dissolution of the party.He said he wonders whether the party’s expulsion of Padipat, currently first deputy House speaker, was done in full accordance with the party’s regulations.
“The statement of the Move Forward only mentioned that Padipat must leave the party, giving no details of any serious breaches of disciplinaries (to justify the expulsion),” Supachai said. The statement gave no details of the party’s investigative procedures or evidence gathered that led to the decision to expel him.
Under the party’s charter, a member can be expelled if three-quarters of all MPs and executive committee members vote in favour of such.
Supachai said neither he nor the public have seen anything about the vote and the resolution. Moreover, this would mean that Padipat’s membership of Parliament has already ended.
The procedure used by Move Forward to expel Padipat may not have been legitimate, meaning that Padipat is still the party’s MP and cannot apply to be an MP of another party, Supachai said. Padipat officially accepted an invitation to join the Fair party last month.
Move Forward’s expulsion of Padipat was viewed as a political game, played by the party so that it could claim the vacant leader of the opposition post and keep Padipat as deputy house speaker, but under the banner of another party.
Taking all this into consideration, Supachai claims that it is clear that Move Forward and Padipat conspired and are a threat to democratic rule that has the King as head of state.
“I would like an EC decision to forward the case to the Constitutional Court, seeking the dissolution of the Move Forward party,” he said.
