Sharad Yadav, Ali Anwar disqualified as Rajya Sabha members

Rebel Janata Dal (United) MPs Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar were disqualified from the Rajya Sabha on late Monday night.

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the chairman of the upper house, issued the order stating that they cease to be Members of Parliament with immediate effect.

JDU leader Anwar told ANI, "I received the information while I was addressing a meeting here in Rajkot. I will speak to Sharad Yadav and we will take a decision together."

"We will appeal at all those places where there is possibility for us to get justice," he said.

Naidu agreed to the JD(U)'s contention that the two senior leaders had voluntarily given up their membership by defying their party's directives and attending events of opposition parties.

The party had sought their disqualification on the grounds that they had attended a rally of opposition parties in Patna in violation of its direction.

Earlier in the day, Yadav reached Gujarat to campaign for the candidates of a JD(U) faction, which is being led by him.

The candidates are contesting on the symbol of Bharatiya Rashtriya Tribal Party on seven out of 182 seats.