Hold election for Yadav vacant RS seat: JDU

Even as supporters of Sharad Yadav are planning to float a new political party, Janata Dal (United) led by Nitish Kumar on Thursday approached the Election Commission seeking election to the “vacant” seat of Yadav after his disqualification from the Rajya Sabha.

A four-member delegation of JD (U) that met the chief election commissioner also told the poll panel that it was under “legal obligation” to hold elections to the seat within six months from the date the vacancy arises.

Yadav was disqualified from the membership of the Upper House of Parliament by an order of Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu three months after the JD (U) made a written complaint to the Chair in September 2017, against Yadav. The complaint accused Yadav of having broken ranks with his parent party and sharing dais with leaders and parties opposed to JD (U).

Another JD (U) MP, Ali Anwar Ansari, who had also rebelled against Nitish Kumar's decision to junk the secular grand alliance in Bihar and join the BJP, was also disqualified from the Rajya Sabha membership the same day.

While election has already been held to the seat that fell vacant after Ansari's disqualification, Yadav moved the Delhi High Court, which did not stay the RS Chairman's order but provided Yadav interim protection of pay, allowances and official quarters.

Party launch

The JD (U) has approached the EC at a time when supporters of Yadav are set to announce on May 18 a new party, Loktantrik Janata Dal, with which some parties could announce a merger.

In a four-page petition to the EC, JD (U) General Secretary R C P Singh told the poll panel that “differential treatment” has been accorded to two vacancies, which arose under “identical circumstances”.

The party has also told the poll panel that this “erroneous” approach needs to be “suitably corrected by holding elections to the vacant seat” previously held by Yadav. The election for Ansari's vacant seat was held in March this year along with five other seats.