Prashant Kishor, Pavan Varma expelled by JDU for indiscipline

Janata Dal-United has expelled political strategist Prashant Kishor and rebel leader Pavan Varma.

The move comes after the party's senior leadership remained locked in an ugly war of words with the two leaders over the past few days.

In a statement, JD(U) said that Prashant Kishore, who was given the post of national president, used his post for his own selfish purposes. "And even after being given the option to leave the party as per his wishes, he chose to use objectionable words against the party chief," the statement said, adding, "to ensure Prashant Kishor doesn't stoop even lower, it is important to let him go from the party."

Regarding Pavan Varma, the JD(U) statement said that he took the honour given to him by the party for granted and showed disrespect to the party by revealing the contents of a private letter he wrote in party chief Nitish Kumar.

"The behaviour of Prashant Kishor and Pavan Varma shows that the two have no respect for the party's rules, thus they are being relieved of their roles and primary membership of the party," it said.

Prashant Kishor has been publicly objecting to the JDU supporting the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that has been dubbed by many legal experts and lawmakers as "unconstitutional" for allegedly being discriminatory on religious grounds against a particular community.

On Tuesday, Nitish Kumar reacted to questions about rebellion within his party.



In a veiled reference to Kishor, Nitish Kumar said, "Someone (JDU leader Pavan Verma) wrote a letter I replied to it. Someone is tweeting, let him a tweet. What do I've to do with it? One can stay at the party till he wants. He can go if he wants...Do you know how did he join the party? Amit Shah asked me to induct him."

In reaction, Prashant Kishor accused Nitish Kumar of lying about why he joined JDU.

Taking to Twitter, Kishor wrote, "Nitish Kumar what a fall for you to lie about how and why you made me join JDU|| Poor attempt on your part to try and make my colour same as yours!"

After the expulsion from JD(U) on Wednesday, Prashant Kishor took a jibe at Nitish Kumar and wished him luck in retaining the CM post in Bihar.

The former diplomat has drifted from the JD(U) over its support to the amended citizenship law and the national population register exercise, as he has often claimed that these measures along with the national citizenship register, which is on the BJP's agenda, are divisive for the country.

In a recent letter that he had posted on social media, Varma had sought ideological clarity from Kumar after the party entered into an alliance with the BJP in the Delhi Assembly polls.

"He is a learned man for whom I have a lot of respect even if he may not have similar sentiments for me. But is it proper to share such things in public and not on a party forum," Kumar had said earlier while speaking to reporters.