The Janata Dal (United) on Wednesday submitted a petition to the Election Commission, urging it to hold a bye-election for a Rajya Sabha seat from Bihar following the disqualification of Sharad Yadav from the Upper House of Parliament, PTI reported.
A delegation of the party, including its leader in the Rajya Sabha Ram Chandra Prasad Singh and secretary general KC Tyagi, told the poll panel that the Delhi High Court had ordered that Yadav would continue to get his salary and other perks, but had not stayed his disqualification.
Yadav and Ali Anwar broke away from the JD(U) after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ended the alliance with the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party in July. On September 5, JD(U) leaders RCP Singh and Sanjay Jha submitted a petition to Rajya Sabha Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu, seeking their disqualification from the Rajya Sabha. Naidu removed Yadav and Anwar from the Upper House three months later.
The JD(U) leaders told the poll panel that had disqualified Yadav and Anwar because of their anti-party activities. While the Election Commission has filled the seat left vacant by Ansari, it has not done so in Yadav’s case, they pointed out. Last month, Yadav’s faction announced the formation of political outfit called the Loktantrik Janata Dal.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!