Patna:Four JD(U) MLAs were on Saturday disqua-lified from Bihar Assembly for anti-party activities, including cross voting in Rajya Sabha election.
With this, membership of eight rebel JD(U) MLAs has been terminated since last month by the Assembly Speaker under the provisions of anti-defection law following the party’s recommendation after the legislators were accused of backing two independent candidates Anil Sharma and Sabir Ali for Rajya Sabha seats in June polls instead of party’s official candidates.
The disqualified MLAs are Ajit Kumar (Kanti, Muzaffarpur), Raju Singh (Sahebganj, Muzaffarpur), Poonam Devi Yadav (Bigha, Patna) and Suresh Chanchal (Sakra, Muzaffarpur). The legislators cried foul alleging that were not given a proper chance to present their case and would move court against the decision.
The development does not pose any threat to JD(U) government in Bihar as RJD, Congress, CPI and three Independents continue to extend outside support to it since last year. Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary today passed the order in the presence of four legislators against whom the ruling party had initiated proceedings for termination of their mem-bership for anti-party activities, Hareram Mukh-iya told PTI.
Chaudhary disqualified these four rebel JD(U) MLAs under the provisions of the anti-defection law, Mukhiya said. The JD(U) Chief Whip Shrawan Kumar welcomed the Speaker’s decision and said that the disqualified lawmakers deserved punishment for working against their party.
In a strong warning to other rebel ruling party MLAs, he said they should also be prepared for strict and anti-defection procee-dings would be initiated against them soon in an incremental manner.
The Speaker had reser-ved his order on disquali-fication proceedings agai-nst these four JD(U) MLAs last month, the Legislative Assembly secretary in-charge said. With disquali-fication of four MLAs, the JD(U)’s strength has come down to 111 in a 243-member Assembly.(PTI)
