Sharad Yadav faction of JD(U) meets EC again, stakes claim for party symbol

The Sharad Yadav faction of Janata Dal (United) on Thursday met Election Commission officials and staked claim for the party’s symbol. The faction also sought four weeks’ time to submit relevant documents.

It is to be noted that the EC had refused to take cognisance of Sharad Yadav faction’s earlier plea by saying that it lacked supporting documents.

As per Arun Kumar Shrivastav, a close aid of Yadav and the party's general secretary before its president Nitish Kumar removed him from the post, the party’s national executive will meet in New Delhi on Sunday.

Shrivastav said that the meeting will showcase support for Yadav in the party. He added that most of the state units support Yadav in fight against Kumar.

The national council meeting is scheduled on October 8. 

“It will be clear on September 17 how much support Sharad Yadav has in the party. It is Bihar Chief Minister Kumar and not Yadav who strayed from the party’s avowed position and betrayed it by joining hands with the BJP,” he said.

In its application before the EC, the Yadav faction also registered its protest against its earlier decision, claiming it was based on “hyper-technical” ground and the Commission should have allowed them a hearing.

The JD(U) leaders backing Kumar have claimed that an overwhelming number of popularly elected members of the party and its office bearers are with the Bihar CM, and Yadav enjoys little support. They had also submitted affidavits of the leaders supporting Kumar with the Commission.

With PTI inputs