Date:20/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/20/stories/2007072055601200.htm

National

Dissidence shows up in JD (U)

Special Correspondent

PATNA: Dissidence hit the Janata Dal (United) in the presidential election with at least two of its potential voters not turning up at the polling centre in the Bihar Assembly.

It was no different with the Samajwadi Party with two of its members casting their vote in defiance of the party’s stand.

Incarcerated MLAs, Sunil Pandey (JD-U) and Manoranjan Singh (Ind), who owe allegiance to the ruling combine, did not even care to obtain the court’s permission to cast their vote.

Mr. Pandey is a known dissident and has been suspended from the party for anti-party activities.

On the other hand, both the Samajwadi legislators exercised their franchise disobeying party’s stand to stay away from the election.

However, RJD’s MP Md. Shahbuddin arrived here with officials acquiescing in to his demands for a private vehicle in their bid to abide by the apex court’s directive to ensure his presence in the polling centre.

Mr. Shahbuddin declined to use the prison van and an ambulance to travel from Siwan Jail to Patna.

Mr. Shahbuddin charged that he was being tortured. Altogether 234 out of 243 MLAs cast their vote here, while two others preferred to exercise it in Delhi.