The Bhartiya Janta Party on Friday suspended the rebel MLA Tunna Pandey after he drew sharp criticism against the present Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar.
State BJP President Sanjay Jaiswal in the letter of suspension issued to Pandey said, "you are issuing statements in violation of the party's discipline. In spite of this, you made another comment against party line... So, you’re suspended from the party with immediate effect".
BJP had issued a show cause notice to Pandey for his remarks on Nitish Kumar on Thursday and directed him to reply with in ten days. But, suspension was announced within 24 hours and without waiting for the response from the legislator.
Pandey even alleged Nitish Kumar had promoted liquor grade in Bihar in 2009 and threatened he would expose "the nexus between liquor traders and Nitish Kumar".
BJP leadership was under pressure from the JDU to sack the rebel legislator who was issuing statements against the chief minister and calling Nitish Kumar, a 'circumstantial Chief Minister'.
On June 2, Pandey had tweeted: “Whatever I had said was right that in this election people had given their mandate to elect Tejashwi Yadav but Nitish Kumar ji came to power by misusing official machinery”. Earlier too, while slamming Mr. Kumar, the BJP MLC had said he (Kumar) has been a “chief minister of circumstances”.
The suspension comes amid speculation that Tunna Pandey is also likely to be joining the RJD soon. The BJP MLC’s term in State Legislative Council is scheduled to expire on July 16.
Pandey on Friday visited the residence of late Mohammad Shahabuddin, RJD leader who had died of COVID-19 in New Delhi two months ago. He met Shahabuddin's son, Osama and discussed the current political situation.
