Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party on Thursday sought explanation from its lone MLA in Bihar Raj Kumar Singh for voting in favour of JD(U) candidate Maheshwar Hazari in Deputy Speaker’s election.
Hazari was elected Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, polling 124 votes against zero scored by the opposition Grand Alliance which kept away from the House in protest against eviction of their members from the Assembly by the police when they were agitating against the police Bill on Tuesday.
LJP’s national secretary general Abdul Khaliq served a letter to Mr. Singh, an MLA from Matihani constituency in Begusarai district, asking him to explain his side immediately for supporting the JD(U) candidate.
Party’s Bihar unit spokesman confirmed issuance of letter to the legislator.
The matter has caused severe embarassment for the LJP whose president Chirag Paswan had fought the recent Bihar polls on its own with the intent to ensure defeat of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s party.
“The party has learnt that you have voted in favour of JD(U) candidate Maheshwar Hazari during election held for the post of Bihar Legislative Assembly’s Deputy Speaker on March 24 without consulting the party in this regard,” Mr. Khaliq said in the letter.
“Such an act is not expected from you. Taking the matter seriously, the party directs you to give your 'explanation' immediately in this regard,” the letter further said without specifying any time-frame.
