Bihar: Speaker disqualifies 4 JD(U) MLAs for anti-party activities

Patna: Four JD(U) MLAs were disqualified today from the Bihar Legislative Assembly for anti-party activities, the Assembly secretary in-charge Hareram Mukhiya said. Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary passed the verdict in his court in the presence of four JD(U) MLAs against whom the ruling party had initiated proceedings for termination of their membership for anti-party activities, he told PTI. The disqualified JD(U) MLAs are - Ajit Kumar (Kanti, Muzaffarpur), Raju Singh (Sahebganj, Muzaffarpur), Poonam Devi Yadav (Khagaria) and Suresh Chanchal (Sakra, Muzaffarpur). Chaudhary disqualified these four rebel JD(U) MLAs under the provisions of the anti-defection law, Mukhiya said. [caption id=“attachment_1745733” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  JD(U) President Sharad Yadav. PTI[/caption] The Speaker had reserved his order on disqualification proceedings against these four JD(U) MLAs last month, the Legislative Assembly secretary in-charge said. With disqualification of four MLAs, the JD(U)’s strength in the state Legislative Assembly has come down to 111. The BJP has 88 members in the House followed by RJD (24), Congress (5), CPI(1) and Independents (5). Four rebel JD(U) MLAs - Gyanendra Singh Gyanu, Neeraj Singh Bablu, Ravindra Rai and Rahul Sharma on same charge-were disqualified under the anti-defection law for anti-party activities last month. The disqualification of eight MLAs so far, however, does not pose any threat to its government in Bihar as the RJD, Congress, CPI and three Independents continue to extend outside support to the JD(U) government since last year. PTI