JD-U showdown over party symbol may reach EC door

The terse battle between warring Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leaders — Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav — is showing no signs of abating and may now lead to a showdown at the doors of the Election Commission (EC), to lay claim to party symbol 'Arrow'.

Soon after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar put Sharad Yadav on notice on Sunday, daring him to split the party and face action in Patna, the Yadav faction hit back with the warning to approach the EC to stake claim to the party symbol.

"Let Sharad Yadav split the party. For splitting the party, support of two-third leaders is needed. If he has the majority, he should prove it," Nitish said, showcasing the weight of all 71 MLAs, along with two Lok Sabha MPs, behind him.

Nitish reminded Yadav that he was elected to the RS with the support and vote of the BJP.

He said: "He will not be able to do anything. It is for all to see." He, however, stopped short of either suspending or dismissing Yadav from the party.

Leader KC Tyagi later said the party did not act against Yadav despite his "anti-party activities" because of his seniority and long association. He warned the senior Yadav against attending RJD chief Lalu Prasad's rally on August 27. "By doing, so he would cross the Lakshman Rekha," Tyagi said.

Meanwhile, sources close to Yadav said that they were planning to approach the EC and would be able put up a show of strength as many MLAs were angry with Nitish's move to merge with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Earlier, Yadav had moved the EC in April, 2016, to strike down the appointment of Nitish Kumar as the JD-U President but had failed to convince the panel to intervene. The EC had then asked him to either seek remedy within the party or move the appropriate civil court.