Samata Party removes its chief

Shiv Kumar said Parliamentary Board Chairman N K Singh, a former CBI director, has been chosen as the acting chief. The national council will meet on October 31 to hold election for the party president8217;s post. He claimed 20 of the 40 national executive members were present at Tuesday8217;s meeting. Of the rest, at least half have left the party, he added.

Spelling out reasons for Mandal8217;s ouster, Shiv Kumar said the party had not been functioning. Mandal, according to him, had not called a single meeting of the national executive for three years though he was required to do so once in six months. 8220;No one knows how many officer-bearers are around or how many members of the national executive have left the party,8221; he said. 8220;The party is on the verge of elimination,8221; he said, adding 8220;At a time when an early election to the Lok Sabha poll appears inevitable, it is imperative that we put our house in order.8221;

When asked why the party had chosen to overlook Jaitly and appointed Singh, the General Secretary said, 8220;She is not a member of the national executive.8221;