Jd Poll Official Sues Laloo

Janata Dal assistant returning officer B K Prasad yesterday sued party president and Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav, alleging the latter had committed contempt of court by convening the national executive in violation of a high court order restraining him from interfering with the June 10 poll process.

This, however, did not deter senior leaders of the party from continueing their efforts for bringing about a settlement between Laloo Yadav and Sharad Yadav as the contest is leading party towards a split in the party.

The petition, which might come up for hearing today, alleged that disregarding a clear stay from the high court on May 31, Laloo Prasad has convened a meeting of national executive on June 8 here.

Laloo Prasad had, however, claimed on Wednesday that he was calling the meeting to discuss the political situation and that it had nothing to do with the elections cheduled for two days later.

The pettitioner has said this move by Laloo Prasad directly affects the election for the partys top post to be held at various state headquarters as the national executive members attending the meeting on June 8 would not be able to reach their respective states to participate in the election.

Presidents of the partys unit in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Chandigarh had yesterday declared that they would not attend the meeting for the reasons that the meeting was kept too close to the polling date and that they feared it was an attempt to mar the internal democracy in the party.

Adding to the prevailing confusion, Dal MP M A A Fatmi, also went to court yesterday seeking stay on the party presidential poll on the ground that the complete poll process was illegal. The suit, which is also likely to be heard today, requested the court to declare appointment of national returning officer P K Samantray and his deputy B K Prasad as illegal. A similar demand was made in a similar pettition to the Election Commission by Dal Rajya Sabha MP Som Pal on Wednesday.

The high court had earlier fixed today for the final hearing of the tussle between Laloo Prasad yadav and Samantray on the election.

Fatmi, in his suit filed through advocate A K Singh sought stay the on presidential poll untill mandatory requirements as prescribed under the party constitution and rules framed thereunder were complied with.

Fatmi has alleged that party general secretary Bapu Kaldate who is looking after party administration, was also playing in the hands of one group or the other.

Meanwhile, the patch up effort was kept up yesterday when senior leader Pramila Dandavate called on Sharad Yadav to press for a settlement between him and Laloo Prasad.

Dandavate told reporters after the meeting that she told Yadav that internal democracy was good for the party and that she was all for it.

However, in the present case she wanted a settlement because she felt that a contest was taking the party towards a split.