Sharad, anWar’s rs disQUalifiCation PUt on fast traCK

“Fearing that 2019 is approaching fast like a bullet train, the BJP is trying to drain the rival opposition parties to fill their coffers,” expelled Bihar Janata Dal (U) Rajya Sabha leader, Ali Anwar Ansari told The Sunday Guardian, when it was mentioned that the Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu himself was going to decide his and Sharad Yadav’s membership fate in the House of Elders. It is learnt that Vice-President Naidu is examining the JDU petitions against Yadav and Ansari and their replies. Instead of referring both the cases of the rebel leaders to the privileges committee, Naidu will take a call himself. Sources say “both Yadav and Ansari will be disqualified very soon.” All available indications say that “the job” to disqualify them may finish before the coming winter session of Parliament in mid-November. So far, disqualification petitions against members have gone to the privileges committee. It is not a hard and fast rule. But the chairman has the discretion to settle the matter on the plea that the privileges committee takes long to reach a conclusion. At present, the privileges committee is headed by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman and Congress leader P.J. Kurien. The NDA fears that Yadav and Ansari may not be disqualified till the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on one excuse or another. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has urged swift action against Yadav and Ansari. Nitish Kumar says that they have “broken their ties with us” and have become “spokesmen of the opposition”. Naidu’s office has reportedly examined the precedents in disqualification cases. There is the case of Jai Narain Prasad Nishad, who fell out with the BJP in 2006. The MP retained his membership for 27 months. Another case is of BSP’s Isam Singh. It took 16 months to disqualify him. The privileges committee took nine months to examine the matter.