Patna, October 24 (ABN) Taking a strict step in the matter of openly opening a front against the party's official candidate and campaigning in support of the Jan Suraaj Party candidate, the Janata Dal (United) (JDU) has expelled Mokama MLA Anant Kumar Singh and former MLA Neelam Devi from the party for 6 years. Along with terminating Anant Singh's primary membership with immediate effect, the party has also recommended action to the Speaker of the Bihar Assembly under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution to cancel his assembly membership.
In an official order issued by JDU State President Umesh Singh Kushwaha, both leaders have been accused of indulging in anti-party activities and violating the instructions of the organization. The order also accuses Anant Singh of using unparliamentary language against the party's top leadership and working against the JDU candidate in the Legislative Council elections while campaigning in support of another party's candidate.
The root of the dispute between Anant Singh and JDU Legislative Council candidate Neeraj Kumar is said to be old political enmity. Mr. Singh alleges that during the Mokama Assembly elections, when he was in JDU and supporting Nitish Kumar's government, Neeraj Kumar campaigned against him. Anant Singh had also mentioned complaining to the party leadership regarding this matter. He said that no action was taken against Neeraj Kumar at that time.
Apart from this, from the Patna Graduate constituency, JDU re-nominated its Legislative Council member and party's chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar. On the other hand, the Jan Suraaj Party fielded Dr. Anuj Singh. Upset with Neeraj Kumar, Anant Singh decided to campaign in support of the Jan Suraaj candidate instead of supporting the JDU candidate. On October 1, Anant Singh arrived in support of Jan Suraaj candidate Dr. Anuj Singh on the occasion of filing his nomination papers and announced that he would campaign in his favor. After this, he conducted public contact campaigns and held roadshows in various areas. During the election campaign, Mr. Singh launched fierce attacks on JDU candidate Neeraj Kumar and appealed to the voters to defeat him. This further deepened the dispute within the party. Anant Singh's stance was not limited to just not supporting Neeraj Kumar. He openly campaigned against him and appealed to make the Jan Suraaj candidate successful. The JDU leadership described it as going beyond personal displeasure to a matter of party discipline and activity against the official candidate.
After the dispute escalated between the two leaders, senior JDU leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh tried to persuade Anant Singh. After discussions with former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Lalan Singh contacted Anant Singh and advised him to stay away from public rhetoric and campaigning against the party's candidate.
On October 5, Lalan Singh publicly stated that he had spoken to Anant Singh and that he would not make statements against JDU candidate Neeraj Kumar. He had also said that Anant Singh was, is, and will remain in JDU. However, despite this conversation, Anant Singh refused to campaign in favor of Neeraj Kumar. In the following days, Anant Singh again campaigned in support of the Jan Suraaj candidate. This made it clear that despite Lalan Singh's mediation, the dispute between the two leaders could not be resolved. After this, on the day of voting, October 23, another comment by Anant Singh regarding Lalan Singh remained a topic of discussion. According to media reports, he said that there are 100 Lalan Singhs in Bihar, I don't know. This comment was seen as his growing confrontation with the party's top leadership. In this entire matter, the old political rivalry between Neeraj Kumar and Anant Singh, openly campaigning against the official candidate, and not changing his stance despite the party leadership's persuasion efforts became the main reasons for the expulsion action. JDU, along with terminating Anant Singh's primary membership, has recommended to the Bihar Assembly Speaker that his assembly membership be cancelled. The party has cited the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution for this. However, the final decision regarding assembly membership will have to be taken by the Assembly Speaker under the relevant constitutional procedures. Expulsion from the party and termination of assembly membership are two separate actions. Anant Singh's wife, Neelam Devi, has also been expelled from the party for 6 years on charges of involvement in anti-party activities. According to the party's order, her primary membership has also been terminated with immediate effect.