JD(U) expels 4 rebels for cross-voting in RS polls

JD(U) state president Bashistha Narayan Singh said the party expelled the four leaders for anti-party activities. They had cross-voted in the recent Rajya Sabha bypolls, forcing Nitish Kumar to seek RJD’s help to ensure victory of his party’s three nominees.

Reacting to the development, the four said that their expulsion was “expected as the party played a role in terminating their Assembly membership.”

Former Barh MLA Gyanendra Singh said: “The state president is rubber stamp of Nitish Kumar. The Speaker’s decision is a mockery of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.”

The four ex-MLAs have also filed a joint plea in the Patna High Court against termination of their membership. Talking to The Indian Express, former Chhatapur MLA Niraj Kumar said, “We moved the Patna HC today against the Speaker’s order. We have prayed the order didn’t take into consideration that we had not violated any provision of the 10th Schedule during the cross-voting.”

The 10th Schedule of the Constitution allows disqualification on ground of defection if the lawmaker votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to the direction issued by the political party to which he/she belongs. However, no whip was issued by JD(U) before the Rajya Sabha byelections.

Bihar Assembly Speaker on Saturday had cancelled the membership of the MLAs. Though 18 JD(U) MLAs had cross-voted during the RS polls, JD(U) had complained to the Speaker against Gyanendra Singh, Niraj Kumar, Ravindra Rai (Mahua) and Rahul Sharma (Ghoshi).