The Yadav-Bhattarai faction of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) has expelled four leaders including Chairman Mahantha Thakur and Senior Leader Rajendra Mahato.
The executive committee meeting of members available inside the Kathmandu Valley called by Chairman Upendra Yadav, but boycotted by the Thakur-Mahato faction, has decided to expel the four leaders also including Sarbendra Nath Shukla and Laxman Lal Karna for refusing to submit the explanation sought by the executive committee.
An executive committee member confirmed with Setopati that the meeting at Balkumari Tuesday afternoon has decided to expel the four leaders, and the decision has already been conveyed to the Election Commission.
The Yadav-Bhattarai faction, that claims it has support of 30 members in the 51-strong executive committee, had sought explanation from four leaders of the Thakur-Mahato faction and also investigate those supporting what the party calls regressive step of Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli.
The Yadav-Bhattarai faction had sought explanation from Chairman Mahantha Thakur for writing to President Bidya Devi Bhandari claiming that the party supported Oli in formation of new government, Rajendra Mahato for sending the letter to the President's Office claiming that he is the JSP parliamentary party leader when the statute of parliamentary party has not even been drafted, and Laxman Lal Karna and Sarbendra Nath Shukla for staying in the five-strong task force for Constitution amendment including three CPN-UML leaders and holding dialogue without the party's decision.
The Yadav-Bhattarai faction has already warned the other faction that anyone joining the Oli government will be expelled from the party.
The Thakur-Mahato faction, that has majority in the parliamentary party, ignoring the warning is preparing to send 10-member team to join the government including eight ministers and two state ministers. It is holding a separate meeting at Babar Mahal to discuss about joining the government.
Thakur had also sought explanation from Yadav for supporting Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba for prime minister (PM) instead of KP Sharma Oli. Thakur had asked Yadav to explain why he registered the petition at the Supreme Court against House dissolution without party decision.
Thakur had accused Yadav of apathy toward party integration right from the time of unification and asked Yadav to explain expulsion of four JSP lawmakers of Lumbini without holding the executive committee meeting.
