Janata Dal (United) State president M.P. Veerendrakumar’s Rajya Sabha seat is under threat with the Nitish Kumar-led faction keen on showing him the door if he attends the national council meeting of the Sharad Yadav-led faction in New Delhi on October 8.
JD(U) chief general secretary and national spokesman K.C. Tyagi told The Hindu on Tuesday that the party would have no option but request the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha to disqualify Mr. Veerendrakumar if he violated the whip.
“We are aware of the Kerala JD(U)'s stance and the desperate attempt being made by Mr. Veerendrakumar to save his Rajya Sabha seat. Though earlier he was with the UPA, he needs to align with the NDA now,” Mr. Tyagi said.
JD(U) Rajya Sabha MPs Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar are facing the prospect of being stripped of their membership from the Upper House for rebelling against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. “Mr. Veerendrakumar had earlier met Nitish Kumar in this regard. But if he rebels he will face the same fate as the rebel AIADMK legislators in Tamil Nadu,” Mr. Tyagi said.
Tyagi to visit State
On the question of the JD(U) Kerala unit severing its ties with its national entity, Mr. Tyagi said a few State leaders had already approached the national leadership to revive the party. “I will shortly visit Kochi or Thiruvananthapuram for this purpose, ” he added.
Sources close to Mr. Veerendrakumar said he had assured Mr. Sharad Yadav that he would take part in the meeting in New Delhi. “He had not taken part in the September 17 national executive meeting called by Mr. Sharad Yadav where 14 State presidents had participated and had representations from 20 States,” he said.
Mr. Veerendrakumar had attributed his absence to his Ayurvedic treatment while his son, M.V Shreyams Kumar, an all-India secretary of the party, was on foreign jaunt.
The sources said that Mr. Veerendrakumar was unlikely to relinquish his Rajya Sabha post but would prefer the Nitish Kumar faction to remove him from the party. Whether that would give him some impunity under the anti-defection law is yet to be seen but the post falling vacant would be a windfall for the CPI(M)-led LDF in the State.