Janata Dal (United) has suspended four of its MPs Upendra Kushwaha,Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan,Sushil Kumar Singh and Mangani Lal Mandal party spokesman Javed Raza said on Monday. Kushwaha is a Rajya Sabha MP while the others are Lok Sabha MPs. Bihar Janata Dal (U) chief Vashishth Narayan Singh had recommended disciplinary action against 11 MPs for anti-party activities during Assembly elections. The JD(U) has 27 MPs,20 in the Lok Sabha and seven in the Rajya Sabha. When asked about the rest,Raza said as of now,action had been taken against only four. JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav,sources said,was reluctant to take any drastic action though he had already removed Lalan as the partys deputy leader in the Lok Sabha and Kushwaha as party general secretary. However,he has been forced to take the latest step due to pressure from Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. Both Lalan and Kushwaha are known to be keen on leaving the JD(U),but have held on for the fear of disqualification as MPs on the grounds of defection. A suspension,in a way,does not alter the obligations of an MP vis-a-vis his party because he remains bound by the party whip.
