JD(U) expels Kishor, Varma for 'anti-party' activities

The JD(U) on Wednesday expelled its dissident leaders Prashant Kishor and Pavan Varma, capping months of their bitter differences with its president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the Modi government's citizenship measures, including the CAA.

Showing the door to its vice president Kishor, the party accused him of using "insulting" words against Kumar as well as not adhering to party discipline and abusing the "respect" given to him by the JD(U) president.

Announcing the expulsion of both Kishor and party general secretary Varma, a JD(U) statement, issued by its chief general secretary K C Tyagi, said the conduct of both leaders in the recent past has made it clear that they don't want to abide by the "party's discipline and worked against its decisions and functioning".

The two leaders have often spoken against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Population Register (NPR) with Varma publicly questioning Kumar over his ideology.

The JD(U) is supporting these measures.

Tyagi said,"loyalty to party's discipline, decision and leadership is the organisation's basic mantra."
Hitting back, the JD(U) statement said,"It is imperative that Kishor be removed from the party so that he doesn't fall any lower."
In a tweet soon after his expulsion, Kishor said, "Thank you Nitish Kumar. My best wishes to you to retain the chair of Chief Minister of Bihar. God bless you."
Varma said, "Thank you Nitish Kumar ji for freeing me from my increasingly untenable position of defending you and your policies. I wish you well in your ambition of being CM of Bihar at any cost."