JD (U) move to unseat 4 suspended MPs

PATNA: The membership of four JD (U) MPs and one MLC is under threat. The party has approached the authorities concerned for termination of their membership. The party has already put them under suspension for their anti-party activities.
The MPs are Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan, Sushil Singh and Mangni Lal Mandal, all members of LS, and RS member Upendra Kushwaha. Following the recommendation of the state disciplinary committee of the party, the central leadership had suspended them last month.
JD (U) president Sharad Yadav, parliamentary party leader Ram Sundar Das and deputy leader Ranjan Prasad Yadav, and RS members Shivanand Tiwary, RCP Singh and Ali Anwar met Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari with proof of their anti-party activities and strongly pleaded for termination of their membership.
A similar petition had been submitted to Bihar legislative council chairman Tarakant Jha for the termination of the membership of Prem Kumar Mani. Jha had sought a written submission from Mani and reportedly found the reply unsatisfactory. Mani, who had been nominated by the governor, will complete his term in 2012.
Party sources said there was strong evidence against the four MPs. “All the evidence including newspaper clippings, videos, audios and others have been submitted in support of the demand for termination of their membership,” party sources in Delhi said.
The evidence showed that during the 2010 assembly election, these MPs openly worked against the party’s official candidates and campaigned for the rivals. The party has sought their termination under Para 2(A) of Schedule X of the Anti-Defection Act.
Sources said Lalan actively campaigned for Congress candidates during the election, while Mandal was caught on tape asking party workers to ensure the defeat of JD (U) candidate from Jhanjharpur. Singh had admitted before the disciplinary committee that he had worked against the party’s interest. There are cases of indiscipline and anti-party activities against Kushwaha and Mani too.
Kushwaha, a former party secretary general, who sometime back staged dharna against the policies of the party, said, “I know the party leadership has nothing against me but they are being pressurized by a ‘dictator’ to take action against me.” He was highly critical of chief minister Nitish Kumar.
Party sources said there is precedence of termination of the membership of MP for anti-party activities. Some years ago, Capt Jai Narayan Nishad, them an MP of BJP, had been unseated. “The law has provided for termination of membership of the House if the member’s anti-party activities are proved,” party sources claimed.