Faction feud intensifies in JD(U) camp

Sharad Yadav, Ali Anwar demand disqualification of MP RCP Singh

R.C.P. Singh.

Beginning a petitions war, Janata Dal (United) rebels Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar Ansari demanded disqualification of MP RCP Singh for abandoning “anti-BJP” stance that the party fought for in Bihar Assembly polls.

Interestingly, it was Mr. RCP Singh who on September 5 moved a petition to disqualify both party’s former president Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar Ansari from the Rajya Sabha for “anti-party” activities.

“We did not stray from party’s avowed position. We fought on anti-BJP plank and pro-grand alliance. We haven’t resigned from the party. It is they who decided to break the alliance and walked away from party’s principles,” Mr. Ansari told

The Hindu . He filed the petition on Monday with Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu.

“The Rajya Sabha Chairman before disqualifying us, will have to answer on who he believes represents the real JD(U),” Mr. Ansari added.

Nov. 8 deadline

Mr. Naidu has set a deadline of November 8 for both Mr. Ansari and Mr. Yadav to appear before him to defend their case. According to sources, the Rajya Sabha secretariat wants to settle the issue before the Winter Session of Parliament. Mr. Naidu broke away from tradition and did not sent the disqualification issue to the Parliamentary Committee, instead will be deciding the question himself.

“It is nothing but a tactic to buy more time. They have voluntarily given up party’s membership by attending our rival Lalu Prasad’s rally and speaking against the party,” JD(U) national spokesperson K.C. Tyagi said.

Symbol row

The two factions of the JD(U) are battling it out in the Election Commission too for ownership of the party’s symbol “arrow”. The poll panel has rejected the Sharad Yadav faction’s claim once for lack of “supporting documents.”

The Nitish Kumar faction is confident of sailing through. The JD(U) is a recognised party in Kerala, Bihar, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Dadra Nagar Haveli.

Out of 195 party representatives, 35 parted ways along with JD(U) MP from Kerala M. Veerendra Kumar. Mr. Kumar had quit after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joined hands with the BJP. “Of the remaining, all the 160 party functionaries are with Mr. Nitish Kumar. The affidavits of district presidents that Mr. Sharad Yadav has submitted are old,” a senior JD(U) leader said.