Sharad faction office-bearers’ list inopportune, says JD (U) RS leader RCP Singh
’Without recognition as a political outfit, the declaration of a national executive and names of state presidents by the Sharad group amounts to making a mockery of political decorum,’ Singh said.
Hitting out at Sharad Yadav faction for releasing an interim list of office bearers, Janata Dal (United), on Sunday, said that even after being spurned by the Election Commission twice, the ‘rebel’ party MPs, Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar, were trying to ‘buy time’ to delay their disqualification as Rajya Sabha members—which was “an open and shut case”.
Leader of JD (U) in Rajya Sabha and national general secretary RCP Singh said that the ‘attempt’ was nothing but a ploy to divert attention from the issue at hand. Although everybody is free to form a political party, the announcement of a ‘parallel’ JD (U) team of office bearers has no meaning unless their faction gets recognised by EC.
“Without recognition as a political outfit, the declaration of a national executive and names of state presidents amounted to making a mockery of political decorum,” Singh said.
The party general secretary said that the statements of Congress leader Anand Sharma, NCP general secretary Tariq Anwar and leaders of Left parties for referring the issue of Sharad’s RS membership to the privilege or the ethics committee was meaningless in the backdrop of JD (U)’s request for his disqualification under 10th schedule on grounds of anti-party activities and voluntary disassociation.
The notice for a personal hearing before the RS chairman on October 30 has been sent after concerned parties have submitted their reports. “Our plea is based on voluntary disassociation from the party and not about any unethical practice that lowers the image of RS. Even the allusion to Vijay Mallya was misplaced,” he said.
Giving an opportunity to be heard in person is a welcome step, as it conforms to natural justice,” said Singh, who replaced Sharad as the leader of JD (U) in RS, adding, “such alibis in an open and shut case like this is not going to hold water.”
State JD (U) president Bashistha Narayan Singh, who has been ‘replaced’ by former minister Ramai Ram as the ad hoc chief by Sharad faction, said that the whole exercise amounted to a joke and an attempt to buy time. Party’s chief spokesman Sanjay Singh, chief whip of JD (U) in Legislative Council Sanjay Gandhi, spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad, office bearers Rabindra Singh and Naveen Arya were also present.
Sharad and Ali Anwar, who has been named as vice president in the Sharad faction team headed by Gujarat MLA Chhotubhai Vasava till elections are held on March 11, 2018, will be appearing before RS Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on October 30 for a personal hearing.
While Anwar is set to retire in April next year, Sharad’s term is set to expire in 2022. The move to name interim office-bearers is being seen as a last ditch attempt by the Sharad group to bolster its claim over the party symbol before the EC.
