JD (U) expels Prashant Kishor & Pavan Varma for opposing “party’s ideology’’

Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar has expelled senior party leaders Prashant Kishor and Pavan Varma on disciplinary grounds. Prashant Kishor, who is West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s poll strategist for the 2021 assembly elections, and Varma, who was National General Secretary and advisor to the CM with Cabinet rank, have opposed CAA and NPR besides tie-up with BJP for Delhi elections. The Pioneer says relations between Nitish Kumar and Kishor were apparently strained since Kishor was managing elections strategy for West Bengal Chief Minister led ruling TMC. She has been stridently opposing CAA and NRP and got passed a resolution in the state assembly against the two exercises. She is also a bitter critic of the BJP. KC Tyagi, JD(U)’s general secretary, has mentioned that Prashant Kishor used disrespectful language against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and made it mandatory for the party to relieve him from its primary membership. On Tuesday evening, hours after Nitish Kumar asked the disgruntled leaders to behave or leave the party, Prashant Kishor in a tweet had said: “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! And if you are telling the truth who would believe that you still have courage not to listen to someone recommended by Amit Shah ‘”Both were quick to hit back, “thanking” Nitish Kumar for expelling them and hinting that he would do anything to retain the chief minister’s chair in Patna. The move comes a day after Prashant Kishor openly revolted against Mr Kumar and called him “a liar” for claiming that he was inducted into the JD(U) on the advice of Amit Shah. Janata Dal (U) leaders  Prashant Kishor and Pavan K Varma were expelled on Wednesday from the party for allegedly indulging in ‘anti-party activities’ on Wednesday. The decision comes close on the heels of Kishor and Varma repeatedly questioning Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led party’s stand on the newly enacted citizenship law — CAA. Varma had also questioned the JDU’s alliance with the BJP in ongoing Delhi Assembly poll.  Kishor is also political strategist for the ruling AAP opposing CAA and NPR. Home Minister Amit Shah has gone on record saying in an election rally in Bihar that BJP will contest the assembly elections to be held in later this year in the state under Nitish Kumar’s leadership