Dispute sub judice, before EC: Sharad Yadav

NEW DELHI: A day after the Nitish Kumar-led JDU petitioned the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, seeking Sharad Yadav’s disqualification from the Upper House, the dissent group has said the “very core of the dispute” including who (Nitish Kumar’s or Sharad Yadav’s camp) has the patent on the party and its symbol “is sub judice” as the matter is “before the Election Commission”.

The chairman can take up the Nitish camp’s petition for consideration only after the matter is settled by the EC.

“Regarding media reports of a JDU section writing to the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, seeking Sharad Yadav ji’s disqualification from the Rajya Sabha, we want to make it clear that the very core issue of the dispute is sub judice before the Election Commission as we have petitioned the EC as early as 25-08-2017, staking claim for the party and its symbol,” said Sharad Yadav’s associate Javed Raza, who was removed as JDU general secretary.

“We have also written to JDU Parliamentary Party leader Kaushalendra Kumar stating that, since it was Nitish Kumar and he who abandoned the party, he has no legal and moral authority to remove Sharad ji as leader of JDU in Rajya Sabha.

A copy of Sharad Yadav’s ji letter to this effect has also been sent to the chairman of the Rajya Sabha making it clear that the issue is pending before the EC,” Raza said.

“The principle of natural justice makes it clear that no decision on any pending petition can be taken without hearing our facts and arguments,” he added.