Sharad Yadav has no mass base: JD-U

Patna: The Nitish Kumar faction of the JD(U) on Tuesday welcomed the disqualification of veteran socialist leader Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar from the Upper House of the Parliament.

JD(U) state president Basisth Narayan Singh told this newspaper that “the party has welcomed the decision to disqualify him and his associates. It is he who is to be blamed for the situation. Sharad had no mass base in Bihar and after he defied Nitish Kumar’s decision only one or two district-level leaders supported him”.

Mr Sharad Yadav is likely to hold meetings with his supporters after the Gujarat Assembly polls. According to Ali Anwar, “Sharad faction may also file a petition in court to challenge the decision”.

Both the leaders were disqualified after Nitish faction filed a petition before Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu, seeking action against them on grounds that they had attended RJD’s rally in August this year.

JD(U) leaders in Patna said that the chairman agreed that the two leaders had “voluntarily given up their membership by defying party’s directives and attended a political event organised by opposition parties in Bihar”.