Date:20/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/20/stories/2003042002951000.htm

National

Fernandes suspends 3 Bihar legislators

By K.V.Prasad

NEW DELHI APRIL 19. The Samata president and Defence Minister, George Fernandes, today partially yielded to the demand of the Bihar unit of the party by suspending two MLAs and one MLC.

The party also constituted a central disciplinary action committee (DAC) to review such cases.

Nearly a week after the pro-Nitish Kumar group in the Bihar unit passed a resolution demanding the expulsion of the two MPs, Raghunath Jha and Bramhanand Mandal, P.K. Sinha, MLC, and Ganesh Paswan and Bhai Virender, both MLAs, the official camp conceded to it in parts.

The decision of the party chief to suspend the three legislators from Bihar with immediate effect and setting up of the DAC was announced here by the party general secretary, Aneel Hegde.

The constitution of a five-member DAC, headed by a vocal critic and MP, Prabhunath Singh, is part of a solution hammered out by both factions.

Its other members include the MP, Manjey Lal, the Bihar MLA, Akhlaq Ahmed, and the former Uttar Pradesh Minister, Rajdhari Singh.

A senior Samata MP, Arun Kumar, who was associated with the process of finding out an amicable solution, told The Hindu that the "problem was on its way to resolution''.

He said it was a matter of time before the loss of confidence, on either side, was restored, and for the return of complete normality in the party.

It is understood that the case of the two MPs, whose expulsion was demanded by the Bihar unit, would be referred to the DAC since they were members of the National Executive.

The Committee would also take up the case of the three Bihar legislators.

The setting up of the DAC was one point of agreement but the factions have not spelt the period during which the DAC would look into `acts of indiscipline'.

The Nitish Kumar faction had been demanding action against Mr. Sinha for moving the Election Commission while supporters of Mr. Fernandes were insisting that dissident activities since January be subjected to scrutiny.

Eight MPs had raised the banner of revolt this January, seeking the removal of the Bihar unit chief, Raghunath Jha, which was ultimately agreed to by Mr. Fernandes. Mr. Jha put in his papers and the Nitish-loyalist, Bashist Narain Singh, was since appointed the State unit convener.