Tie-up with BJP snapped, will JD(U) MP Harivansh quit as RS deputy chief?

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 9

With the JD(U) walking out of the BJP-led NDA alliance and becoming the third saffron partner in 18 months after the Shiv Sena and the Akali Dal to do so, all eyes are on whether Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, a JD(U) MP, will resign from his post.

When Chatterjee was expelled

Then LS Speaker Somnath Chatterjee had to face expulsion from CPM for not resigning after his party withdrew support from the Congress-led UPA alliance in 2008 over the Indo-US nuclear deal

In September 2020, as the ruling NDA’s candidate, Harivansh, was re-elected the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha. PM Narendra Modi had showered generous praise on the JD(U) leader who, he said, conducted the House with elan and grace. Sources in the Parliament Secretariat said there was precedence of a presiding officer continuing to serve in the position despite his party withdrawing support from the ruling alliance.

The case in point is of then Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee who was expelled by the CPM for not resigning from the post even after the Left party pulled out of the ruling UPA alliance over the Indo-US Nuclear Deal in 2008. It remains to be seen what Harivansh will do after his party JD(U) has similarly walked out of the ruling NDA.

NDA’s only major ally JD(U) today broke off with the BJP again to form an alliance with Lalu Prasad’s RJD.

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