Journalism of Courage
The JD(U) Thursday expelled four rebel Lok Sabha MPs — three of them already facing suspension for over three years — and an outgoing Rajya Sabha MP from the party.
Those expelled for engaging in “anti-party activities” include Aurangabad MP Sushil Kumar Singh, Jhanjharpur MP Mangani Lal Mandal, Gopalganj MP Purnamasi Ram, Muzaffarpur MP Jaynarain Nishad and outgoing RS MP Shivanand Tiwari.
JD(U) national spokesperson KC Tyagi told The Indian Express, “All these MPs had been speaking against top party leaders and were engaged in anti-party activities. Though Singh’s suspension was revoked after a written apology, he again started looking to another party to get a seat.” Mandal, Nishad and Ram had long fallen out with the party.
Tyagi said there was a “limit to tolerating indiscipline and it was right for the party to remove them”.
“This decision was long overdue and did not involve much immediate provocation,” he said.
While Singh, a prominent Rajput leader from Aurangabad, has been in talks with the BJP and LJP to get a ticket from the same seat, Mandal can cross over to the RJD or Congress, depending on which party gets Jhanjharpur seat after seat-sharing between the two parties.
Ram, a scheduled caste leader, wants to contest from Gopalganj seat and may cross over to the RJD. Outgoing Rajya Sabha MP Tiwari, however, will not contest the Lok Sabha elections. He has already turned down the JD(U) offer to contest from Buxar.
