JDU’s Sharad Yadav ​faction names Chottubhai Vasava as chief

The Janata Dal (United) on Sunday underwent a de facto split with dissidents, led by Sharad Yadav, electing Gujarat leader Chottubhai Vasava as the acting president of “the real JD(U)”.

At a national executive meeting here, the Yadav faction passed a resolution declaring null and void the Nitish Kumar camp’s decision to realign with BJP and forming government in Bihar.

According to senior leader Javed Raza, the executive meeting, attended by JDU presidents of 19 state units, also set up a disciplinary action committee to ‘examine’ the Nitish camp’s ‘violation of party line’. Timed with this development, some Opposition leaders have opposed the Nitish camp’s move to seek disqualification of Yadav from Rajya Sabha. “The internal differences in JDU a are an outside matter of a party and it has nothing to do with the conduct of Sharad Yadav inside Rajya Sabha.

Therefore, there is no ground to seek Sharad Yadav Ji’s disqualification from the House by dragging the provisions of 10th Schedule,” said Anand Sharma, Congress deputy leader in RS.

CPM chief Sitaram Yechury said the RS chairman should not “suo moto” act on Nitish camp’s petition and must, instead, refer it to the privileges and ethics committee of the House.