Patna: The Janata Dal (United) has expelled Mokama MLA Anant Singh and his wife, former MLA Neelam Devi, from the party for six years over alleged anti-party activities during the recent Bihar Legislative Council elections.
JD(U) state president Umesh Kushwaha announced the action on Saturday, citing repeated violations of party directives, alleged derogatory remarks against the party’s senior leadership, and Anant Singh’s decision to oppose the party’s candidate in the Patna Graduates’ constituency election and campaign in support of a candidate associated with Jan Suraaj.
In a letter announcing the action, Kushwaha said Anant Singh’s primary membership had been terminated for six years.
The party has also written to the Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, seeking action against his membership under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with disqualification on grounds of defection.
Any decision on disqualification rests with the competent constitutional authority.
The party has separately revoked the primary membership of Anant Singh’s wife, Neelam Devi, and expelled her for six years over her alleged involvement in anti-party activities.
The action follows a public dispute between Anant Singh and JD(U) candidate Neeraj Kumar during the election for the Patna Graduates’ constituency of the Bihar Legislative Council.
Anant Singh openly opposed Neeraj Kumar and extended support to Anuj Singh, who contested on a Jan Suraaj ticket.
Party leaders made several attempts to resolve the dispute. Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, a senior JD(U) leader and close aide of Nitish Kumar, was reportedly sent to persuade Anant Singh to reconsider his position.
However, the efforts did not produce a resolution.
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Health Minister Nishant Kumar and JD(U) National Working President Sanjay Jha were also involved in efforts to address the differences.
The dispute drew further attention on October 23, the polling day, when Anant Singh said he did not recognise Lalan Singh, remarking that there were “a hundred Lalan Singhs in Bihar” and that he did not know him.
Anant Singh’s opposition to the official candidate placed him at odds with the party leadership during a key election.
The expulsion now marks a formal escalation of the conflict, while the request to the Assembly Speaker opens a separate constitutional process concerning his legislative membership.
The episode has brought party discipline and internal differences within the JD(U) into focus following the Legislative Council elections.
–IANS–
