Kerala JD-U leader quits Rajya Sabha

Disgruntled Janata Dal-United leader M.P. Veerendra Kumar on Wednesday resigned from the Rajya Sabha, days after rebel JD-U leaders Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar were disqualified from the Upper House.

The 80-year-old, also a Karala media baron, submitted his resignation to Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday morning, Arun Kumar Shrivastava, also a rebel JD-U leader, told IANS.

Shrivastava said Veerendra Kumar, who was elected to the Upper House from Kerala last year with support from the Congress-led UDF, resigned "so that no one questions his integrity that he is aligning with (Bihar Chief Minister and JD-U President) Nitish Kumar".

Veerendra Kumar was the chairman of the JD-U's Kerala unit.

Nitish Kumar's decision to break away from the Grand Alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress in Bihar and align with the BJP-led NDA in July this year triggered rebellion in the party.

JD-U's founder leader Sharad Yadav led the rebel faction to protest Nitish Kumar's decision. He was disqualified from the Rajya Sabha along with Ali Anwar on December 4 "on ground of defection rules".

--IANS

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