Nitish sacks Sharad as party leader in RS
Last month, Nitish Kumar called off his alliance with Lalu Yadav’s RJD and the Congress to realign with the BJP. He was sworn in as the Chief Minister of an NDA government.
New Delhi: The Janata Dal (United) on Saturday sacked senior lawmaker Sharad Yadav as party leader in the Rajya Sabha. It is seen as a punishment for Yadav’s public disapproval of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s decision to re-join the BJP-led NDA.
Yadav’s removal came a day after the JD-U sacked another Rajya Sabha member Ali Anwar from its parliamentary party after he attended a meeting called by the Congress to discuss an anti-BJP front.
Ali Anwar Ansari said the Sharad Yadav-led faction is the "real JD-U" and there was no question of leaving the party. "There is no question of leaving the party (JD-U). We founded the party. Sharad Yadav-led faction is the real JD-U while the other one has become a 'Sarkari JD-U' and Bharatiya JD-(U)," Ansari said while briefing mediapersons.
Last month, Nitish Kumar called off his alliance with Lalu Yadav’s RJD and the Congress to realign with the BJP. He was sworn in as the Chief Minister of an NDA government.
JD-U sources said the decision to sack Yadav was conveyed to Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the chairperson of the Upper House. A delegation of party’s Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members submitted a letter to Naidu. The party has seven members in the Rajya Sabha and two in the Lok Sabha.
Nitish Kumar’s close aide, RCP Singh, will be the JD(U)’s new leader in the Rajya Sabha, sources quoting the letter said. Singh will also head the party’s parliamentary party, the sources added.
Nitish Kumar could take more action against Yadav and some other sulking leaders after the party’s August 19 national executive meeting. All the rebels have been invited to the meeting, the sources added.
A disgruntled Yadav is travelling through Bihar to interact with people and possibly chart a new political course.
Nitish Kumar said on Friday that Yadav “has every right to take his decision as to where his loyalties lie,” virtually ruling out possibilities of a rapprochement.
Meanwhile, Anwar on Saturday said history would not forgive Nitish Kumar for going against the mandate of the people of Bihar in favour of the so-called grand alliance of the JD-U, RJD and Congress.
Speaking in Bihar's Madhepura district, Sharad Yadav hit out at Nitish Kumar, saying the party is not Kumar's alone but belonged to him too. "JD-U sirf Nitish Kumar ki hi party nahi hai, yeh meri bhi party hai," Sharad Yadav said on the last day of his three-day Samvad Yatra to meet people and interact with them.
"There are two JD-Us in Bihar, one is sarkari (official) and another is janata (of the people). All the party legislators, leaders, who are close to the government for personal benefit are with Nitish Kumar, but leaders and workers close to the people are with me," Sharad Yadav said.
