New Delhi: Rebel Janata Dal (United) leader Ali Anwar Ansari, close to Sharad Yadav, was on Friday suspended the JD(U) parliamentary party for attending a meet of opposition parties.
Anwar was suspended after he attended an opposition meeting called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday.
JD(U) general secretary KC Tyagi confirmed the suspension of Anwar from the party.
At the meeting, the opposition parties agreed to carry forward their coordination against the Modi government beyond what was seen at the recently-concluded presidential and vice-presidential elections and the monsoon session of Parliament.
Notably, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) skipped the meeting.
The rift in the JD(U) is wide open, with senior leader Sharad Yadav on Thursday claiming that the original party is with him as he termed Nitish Kumar's joining hands with the BJP as "betrayal of the people's mandate"
At a function at Sonepur, Yadav said, "Sarkari JD(U) is with Nitish Kumar while the original party is with me. The original JD(U) in association with secular forces would form a government after next general election."
JD(U) leaders started targeting Yadav since last week after he spoke out against Nitish Kumar's decision to embrace the Bharatiya Janata Party.
