CPI-ML suspends lone legislator for not being able to make his vote count in Rajya Sabha polls

Ranchi: Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninst (CPI-ML) has suspended its lone legislator in Jharkhand Assembly, Rajkumar Yadav, from all party posts. Yadav had to tick NOTA along with Congress candidate during the Rajya Sabha polls on March 23. But, his NOTA vote got cancelled, by observers.

The party had decided to vote for Congress candidate Dhiraj Sahu in the prestigious contest. Yadav’s first vote went to Sahu, but his second vote, where he had to choose NOTA, got cancelled. However, Sahu won by single vote, from BJP’s Pradeep Santhalia.

Yadav’s action of cancellation of his NOTA vote had put him in a spot, as it was being seen as a bigger agenda, of allegedly helping the NDA candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls.

Even at party’s stronghold Bagoder, the assembly constituency, from where CPI-ML has won for five consecutive terms, Yadav’s act during the Rajya Sabha poll is being vehemently criticized.

On April 3, party has issued a press communiqué stating that it had decided to take disciplinary action against Yadav during the 10^th National Convention, which concluded last week. However, the party chose to inform the media now, as the time is more apt.

On the other hand, Yadav has been claiming that it happened because of technical error. He argued that his first preference was the Congress candidate only.

The party in its press release mentioned that it regretted the legislator’s action and has set up two-member central committee team to investigate the matter. “Till the inquiry will be completed, Rajkumar Yadav will not be on any party post. Both the members of the investigating team will be from outside Jharkhand,” informed Jharkhand state secretary Janardan Prasad.

Interestingly, Yadav had participated in Rajya Sabha polls, twice hence nobody was expecting him to commit such a mistake while casting his vote in a highly important Rajya Sabha election.

But, a section of CPI-ML supporters also believes that the confusion has been created by Congress party leaders, as Dhanwar MLA was only following their instructions.

Significantly, this is the second time when a party is being compelled to take action after the Rajya Sabha polls, in  Jharkhand. Earlier, Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (Prajatantrik) had suspended its MLA Prakash Ram for cross voting, after the Raj Sabha polls.