Pavan Varmas conduct an act of indiscipline,says senior JD(U)

Janata Dal (United) leader Vashishtha Narayan Singh on Wednesday took strong exception to party colleague Pavan Varma questioning "in public" the tie-up with BJP for the Delhi assembly polls by extending the alliance beyond Bihar, calling it "absolutely" an act of indiscipline. Singh, a Rajya Sabha member and the head of the JD(U)s state unit, asserted that the decision to align with the BJP was taken after "due deliberation".

He further said although the party respected freedom of thought of every member, it was "anuchit" (inappropriate) on part of the career diplomat-turned-politician to make public his letter to the Chief Minister and national president Nitish Kumar. "I consider his (Varmas) conduct as inappropriate and will put forth my views forcefully whenever a party meeting takes place", Singh told a news channel.

He also said "if there were any reservations, these ought to have been expressed in a party forum. People may have their individual opinions and the party respects that. But airing these in public is something I do not approve of". He also said Varma had "absolutely" committed an act of indiscipline by sharing on the social media his two-page letter to Kumar in which the chief minister was reminded of the unease he had been allegedly expressing "in private" over the BJPs ideology and agenda.

Varma had also mentioned that JD(U), which has been contesting separately from the BJP in states other than Bihar, recent examples being Haryana and Jharkhand, has allied with the saffron party in Delhi where an old NDA constituent like Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has refused to do so. Notably, unlike the JD(U) the SAD is a part of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. The party has opposed the exclusion of Muslims from CAA and refused to contest the Delhi assembly polls, despite a large population of Sikhs in the city, in protest against the BJPs refusal to pay heed.

"Our tie-up in Delhi has materialized after due deliberation (poori tarah se soch samajh kar)", said Singh whose party will be contesting two out of the 70 assembly seats leaving 67 for BJP and one for Ram Vilas Paswans LJP. Meanwhile, the opposition RJD latched on to the note of dissent struck by Varma and came out in support of his demand for "ideological clarity" on part of Kumar.

The partys national vice president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh told reporters in Muzaffarpur "ideological clarity is needed since Kumar has left his own party colleagues confused as to where he stands on the most burning issue of the day". "Pavan Varma is not alone. Prashant Kishor (JD-U national vice president) seems similarly bewildered. Kumar got his party to support CAA in Parliament and on the other hand says he is stoutly opposed to NRC. This is irreconcilable", he added.

Another RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwary issued a statement, saying Varma has posed the same questions as Tejashwi Yadav had done on the floor of the House at the recent special session of the assembly. "I am sure Varma will get no reply just like Tejashwi went back dissatisfied," he said.

Tiwary, who was formerly with the JD(U) also said "Varma can however be sure of one thing. He will face the wrath of the sycophants of Nitish Kumar..Varma had mistaken Kumar for a paragon of secularism remaining oblivious to the JD(U) chiefs capitulation before Modi and Shah. For him, it is time for atonement". Varma, who had on Tuesday upon reaching Patna expressed his wish to have an audience with Kumar, told PTI over phone "I addressed a seminar and thereafter remained tied up with news channels till late in the night".

"In the morning I had to rush to the airport and board my return flight. I look forward to meeting Mr Nitish Kumar some other time", he added..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)