Sitaram Yechury says disqualification of rebel JD(U) members Sharad Yadav, Ali Anwar from RS casts a shadow

New Delhi: Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu’s decision to disqualify rebel JD(U) leaders Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar from the Upper House “casts a shadow”, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Tuesday. Yechury also questioned the “mind-boggling” speed with which the decision was taken. [caption id=“attachment_3529721” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Sitaram Yechury. PTI[/caption] “Like Caesar’s wife, the Rajya Sabha Chairman’s decision must be above questioning, but the disqualification of Rajya Sabha MPs Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar casts a shadow,” Yechury tweeted. He also questioned the urgency shown by the Chairman. “The petition was filed on 2 September and the decision is out on 4 December. The speed is mind-boggling. Similar cases are pending in Lok Sabha for over a year. So political affiliation is the only thing that matters?” the Left leader asked. Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar were disqualified from the Rajya Sabha on Monday night. Naidu said in his communication that both leaders ceased to be Rajya Sabha members with immediate effect. He agreed to the JD(U)’s contention that the two senior leaders had “voluntarily given up” their membership by defying their party’s directives and attending events of Opposition parties.