New Delhi : Spelling fresh trouble for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, four state chiefs of his Janata Dal-United (JD-U) on Friday termed as unconstitutional his elevation as the party national president and demanded re-election for the post.
“The nomination of Nitish Kumar as national president on April 10, 2016 was unconstitutional,” JD-U Madhya Pradesh state president Govind Yadav told reporters at a press conference here.
He said elections for all the party posts were to be held between January 27 and June 28, this year. “But due to some internal party activities, Nitish Kumar was announced national president on April 10,” he said.
Present at the press conference along with Yadav were the three other state JD(U) chiefs — Amitabh Dutta (West Bengal), Pramod Sharma (Uttarakhand) and Thakur Balbir Singh (Delhi) — who expressed their opposition to Nitish Kumar’s elevation to the post almost six months ago.
Nitish Kumar was nominated the party’s president at its national executive meeting in New Delhi on April 10 this year, replacing party veteran Sharad Yadav. His nomination was later ratified by the party’s National Council.
“By appointing Nitish Kumar as national president, section 19(6) of the party constitution was breached,” Yadav alleged.
“According to the party constitution, he cannot be re-elected as party president until the organisational elections at least in half of the states gets completed. Till date, no organisational election, except in Bihar, has taken place,” Yadav said.
“The national president of the party is appointed for a tenure of two years, and an acting national president can only be appointed in case of an emergency,” Yadav said.
The party leaders also alleged that the election for the party posts were to be held in 25 states, but elections were carried out only in Bihar and Delhi unit.
“JD-U has presence in over 25 states, but elections were only held in a few districts of Bihar. Meanwhile, the election result of Delhi unit were not recognised,” the Madhya Pradesh state unit head said.
Yadav also alleged that Nitish Kumar is behaving like the “boss of a private company”.
The JD-U leader said the appointment of Anil Hegde as electoral officer was also unconstitutional.
Asked if Yadav raised the issue in the party earlier, he replied: “Yes, we have raised the issue on the party platform. But no action was taken.”
“I have came in front of the media in the interest of the party,” Yadav said.
He said the revolt is not against any individual but for internal democracy in the political party.
JD-U has convened its National Council meeting in Bihar’s Rajgir, 105 km from Patna, on October 16 and 17.
Party sources said the National Council will formally elect Nitish Kumar as its president.