JD(U) withdraws plea to terminate membership of 3 rebel MPs

Against the backdrop of changed political equations after it parted ways with BJP-led NDA, JD(U) has withdrawn its application seeking termination of membership of its three rebel Lok Sabha members under the anti-defection law.
JD(U) Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Ranjan Prasad Yadav has written to Speaker Meira Kumar withdrawing the petition, Lok Sabha Privileges Committee chairman P C Chacko informed the panel in its meeting today.
The agenda regarding the JD(U) petition to disqualify three of its Lok Sabha MPs - Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan', Sushil Singh and Mangni Lal Mandal - under the Tenth Schedule is pending for months with the Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha.

Chacko told the Committee that since the Speaker is the final authority on deciding on such matters, he would consult her before moving ahead in light of the letter by JD(U), sources said.
The copy of the letter was also marked to Chacko who circulated it to the members today.
The letter was written to the Speaker on June 22, two days after the committee took up the issue in its meeting where Yadav's demand seeking more time to appear before it on the issue was discussed.

In his letter, Yadav has said that he would not like to press the petition "further" and it may be "treated as withdrawn".

The matter was referred to the committee by the Speaker and the panel was to give its preliminary report to her. Based on the report, she was to take a decision.
BJP members like Ananth Kumar and Shahnawaz Hussain, and B Mahtab of BJD are learnt to have suggested that Yadav should appear before the committee to explain why he was withdrawing the petition.