Headlines
Nitish Kumar's election as JD-U legislative party chief stayed
In a set back to JD-U leader
Nitish Kumar, the Patna High Court Wednesday stayed his election as the
new leader of the legislature party, a government lawyer said.
Hearing
a petition filed by Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's loyalist,
legislator Rajeshwar Raj, a bench of the court stayed Nitish Kumar's
election as the new leader of the JD-U legislature party.
The court has fixed Feb 17 as next date of hearing.
Raj
last Monday filed a PIL in the court challenging the legality of party
president Sharad Yadav's action in summoning the legislature party
meeting Saturday which elected Nitish Kumar as its new leader.
"The
high court has stayed recognition of Nitish Kumar as the new leader of
the JD-U legislature party," Raj's lawyer S.B.K. Manalam said.
Earlier
this week, a letter issued by Hareram Mukhiya, secretary in-charge of
the assembly, said assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary recognised
Kumar as the new leader of the JD-U legislature party.
A letter to this effect was also sent to Raj Bhawan.
Manjhi
has already termed Yadav's decision to call the meeting as illegal and
questioned the re-election of the former chief minister as its new
leader.
Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United Monday expelled Manjhi from the party for six years, chief whip Shrawan Kumar said.