Sharad Yadav submits fresh plea before EC for JD(U) symbol

Arun Kumar Shrivastav claims that most of the state units are with Sharad Yadav in his fight against Nitish Kumar

The Sharad Yadav faction of the JD(U) on Thursday filed a fresh claim before the Election Commission for the party's symbol and sought four weeks' time to submit relevant documents.

The EC had on Tuesday refused to take cognizance of its previous plea citing lack of documents to support its assertion.

Arun Kumar Shrivastav, a close aid of Yadav and the party's general secretary before its president Nitish Kumar removed him from the post, told a press conference that the party's national executive will meet in the national capital on Sunday.

The meeting, he claimed, will show Yadav's support in the party and it will be followed by the national council meeting on October 8.

Shrivastav claimed that most of the state units are with Yadav in his fight against Kumar.

"It will be clear on September 17 how much support Sharad Yadav has in the party. It is Bihar Chief Minister Kumar and not Yadav who strayed from the party's avowed position and betrayed it by joining hands with the BJP," he said.

In its application before the EC, the Yadav faction also registered its protest against its earlier decision, claiming it was based on "hyper-technical" ground and the Commission should have allowed them a hearing.

The JD(U) leaders backing Kumar have claimed that an overwhelming number of popularly elected members of the party and its office bearers are with the Bihar CM, and Yadav enjoys little support. They had also submitted affidavits of the leaders supporting Kumar with the Commission.