Patna: Infighting in the Janata Dal (United) came into the open on Monday with the party suspending 21 leaders considered close to Sharad Yadav who had opposed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's decision to join hands with the BJP.
The party’s general secretary KC Tyagi signaled in Delhi that the same kind of action could be taken against ‘rebel leader’ Sharad soon.
All those suspended by the party had participated in the recently concluded Bihar yatra of Sharad in which he had openly criticised Nitish for breaking Mahagathbandhan and siding with BJP.
This comes a day after a key aide of Sharad said that the faction has the support of 14 of 17 state presidents and has staked claim over the party.
According to the Sharad supporter, their faction has near unanimous support from senior leaders of the party, including a couple of its parliamentarians.
Bihar JD(U) president Basistha Narayan Singh ordered suspension from primary membership of these leaders including former minister Ramai Ram, ex-MP from Sheohar Arjun Rai, former MLA Raj Kishore Sinha and ex-MLC Vijay Varma, according to a statement issued by JD(U) state general secretary Anil Kumar.
Besides, a few district level office bearers of the party have also been suspended for indulging in "anti-party activities", the statement said.
Tyagi warned rebel leaders and said those speaking against the decision of Nitish would not be tolerated. He also took a swipe at claims by Sharad Yadav faction that they had the support of majority of state units which was sufficient to prove they represent the real JD(U).
“Sharad Yadav has disowned the party. He is no longer with us. This is disappointing because he is talking in favour of those whose hands are deep in corruption. I too would have supported him had he formed a Lohia Manch type of organization but this is strange for us to see him backing Lalu and family.”
He also dismissed claims of Arun Srivastava, who is very close to Sharad, that they had the support of 14 state units out of 17.
Ramai Ram and Arjun Rai were prominent faces who participated in Sharad Yadav's three-day 'Samvad Yatra' which ended on August 12.
Sharad, who described the party decision to walk out of the Grand Alliance of RJD, JD(U) and Congress and join hands with the BJP as "betrayal" of mandate given by 11 crore people of Bihar, has already been removed as the JD(U) parliamentary party leader in the Rajya Sabha.
The JD(U) had also suspended Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar, who had participated in an opposition meet called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi last week.
Despite the JD(U) distancing itself from the recent tour of Sharad Yadav to the state, these 21 leaders and district-level office bearers were seen with him during the trip which he had said was meant to have "direct dialogue" with the people.
Ramai Ram, who had also served as minister during RJD government before switching over to the JD(U) in 2010, had told mediapersons outside One Anne Marg residence of Nitish after state JD(U) executive committee meeting early in July that four days had been given to former Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav to come clean on accusations. Later, he was seen with Sharad during his Bihar trip.
Nitish, who is JD(U) president, has called a meeting of party national executive in Patna on August 19 which is likely to decide Sharad's fate in the party.
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