Namdhari resigns; says it is "irrevocable"

Ranchi, Mar 11 (UNI) Dealing a body blow to JD(U)'s prospect in the March 29 by-election to Jharkhand's Palamu parliamentary seat, party's senior leader and former Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari tonight tendered his resignation as MLA.

Terming his decision as ''irrevocable'', Mr Namdhari said he was not required to send a separate letter to JD (U) separately as his relinquishing the legislator's post meant his dissociation from the party.

Speaker Alamgir Alam said if Mr Namdhari wanted to reconsider his decision, he might withdraw his letter within seven days.

After handing over the resignation letter, Mr Namdhari told reporters here that being under the ''NDA fold'', he felt ''morally bound'' to support BJP candiate in Palamu. When the JD(U) refused to accept ''my suggestion, I deemed it fit to resign from the house feeling neglected in the party,'' he added.

''With this, my association with JD(U) stands sundered as my resignation from the Assembly automatically meant my parting ways with the party,'' he said.

He hastened to add that as he was not following the party diktat, he did not want to be seen as a ''defector'' and hence immediately took the decision to resign as legislator.

Mr Namdhari asserted that under no circumstances he would withdraw his resignation letter, adding he felt ''morally bound'' to support the BJP candidate.

Earlier in the day, he said he would resign as MLA tomorrow if his party did not withdraw its candidate from byelection to Palamu parliamentary seat in favour of the BJP nominee.

Mr Namadhari, who yesterday threatended to resign on the issue by March 14 while addressing a press conference in Daltonganj, preponed the deadline which was announced in Dhanbad during the day.

The JD (U) reacted to the latest statement, saying Mr Namdhari had no other option as his open defiance would bring him under the anti-defection law.

Miffed at Mr Namdhari's sudden shifting of loyalty to BJP, the party's state leadership also adopted an equally firm stand, saying ''stern disciplinary action'' would be initiated against him.

As both parties were busy exchanging rhetoric, Mr Namdhari had created a furore by openly expressing his support for BJP in the fray.

The JD (U) and BJP tried failed to arrive at a common candidate and decided to engage in friendly fight for the seat.

(EDS: Pick up suitably from earlier series) UNI