A political controversy has arisen within the Janata Dal (United) in Bihar involving Lok Sabha MP Giridhari Yadav from Banka, who faces potential disqualification due to alleged anti-party activities. The issue intensified when the party’s Lok Sabha leader, Dileshwar Kamait, formally requested action against Yadav for breaching party discipline, especially during the Assembly elections where his son contested on a Rashtriya Janata Dal ticket, with Yadav allegedly supporting him. Sanjay Kumar Jha, JD(U)’s National Working President and Rajya Sabha MP, supported the petition, questioning Yadav’s behavior and emphasizing the importance of party discipline.
The controversy deepened as Yadav diverged from the party’s official stance on a significant issue, referring to a decision as a “Tughlaqi decree,” a move viewed by the leadership as a serious violation of discipline. Despite Yadav’s historical proximity to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, tensions with the party leadership have been escalating since the Assembly elections, with his absence from a crucial event in Banka during Nitish Kumar’s ‘Samriddhi Yatra’ on March 17 sparking further speculation about internal conflicts. The party had previously issued Yadav a show-cause notice, demanding an explanation within 15 days, but the situation has now escalated, jeopardizing his Lok Sabha membership from Banka.
This development underscores the JD(U) leadership’s commitment to upholding party discipline, even when dealing with senior members, injecting new dynamics into Bihar’s political landscape. Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh clarified that the decision to pursue action against Yadav was not a collective one by the party leadership but an independent move by Kamait, indicating that the party president will review the issue and make a final decision following thorough consideration.
