Samata Party leader stands for George Fernandes

Patna, Apr 13 (UNI) Bihar Samata Party president and party MLC PK Sinha today exhorted all ''Samatites'' presently in the JD(U) to support George Fernandes in the latter's 'opposition' to the installation of Sharad Yadav as the JD(U) president in an ''unconstitutional'' manner.

''Samata Party was formed by Mr Fernandes and hence Samatites should support him when he was opposing installation of Sharad Yadav as the party president in an unconstitutional manner'', he said.

Mr Sinha said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's ''dictatorial style of functioning'' should not be tolerated by Samatites and they should come out openly in support of Mr Fernandes who still continued to ''remain'' JD(U) president till election of Mr Yadav to the top post was approved by the Election Commission.

The Samata Party leader, who spent few hours with Mr Fernandes in the state capital yesterday, said Mr Fernandes's ''letter'' to the Election Commission, challenging election of Mr Yadav as the party president, was indicative of ''lot of scope for political purges''.

UNI/DH/BA HS KP1518