JD(U) sacks Sharad as RS Leader, installs Nitish man

On the day Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar removed his predecessor Sharad Yadav from party's leader in the Rajya Sabha, the Bihar Chief Minister got an official invite from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah to be a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Yadav is the third one who has faced the heat of Kumar for rebelling against Kumar's decision to join hands with the BJP in Bihar. Two other JD(U) leaders who have been suspended for their anti-party activities include Arun Shrivastav, who has been removed from party's general secretary, and Ali Anwar Ansari, who has been removed from the Parliamentary Party for attending a meeting of opposition parties.

"Given that Yadav had started condemning Kumar's decision of forging an alliance with BJP, it was imminent that party would take a strong action against him. Yadav was given much time to prove his loyalty. He was even asked by the party leaders for his presence at JD(U)'s national executive meet on August 19, but he refused to be there," a party insider said, adding that Yadav may also be removed from the party if he continues to slam Kumar.

Yadav was even offered a ministerial berth in the Union government, but he rejected the 'offer', the source said.

"The decision is the outcome of Yadav's recent actions. It was a necessary step because being a leader if a person indulges in anti-party activities, it has to be condemned unanimously," Bihar JD(U) president Vashishtha Narayan told Millennium Post.

Yadav has been replaced by R C P Singh and the party has written a letter to the chairman of the Rajya Sabha in this regard.

Meanwhile, Shah has asked Kumar to join the NDA bandwagon. The BJP chief in his tweet on Saturday said, "I met JD(U) president Nitish Kumar at my residence yesterday. I invited JD(U) to join the NDA."

Kumar is expected to make a formal announcement of joining the NDA at the national executive meet of JD(U) on August 19.