Namdhari resigns; says it is "irrevokable"

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

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

The Speaker 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 NDA fold he felt ''morally bound'' to support BJP candiate in Palamu adding when the JD (U) refused to accept ''my suggestion, I deemed it fit to resign from the house feeling neglected in the party''.

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

He hastended to add that as he was not following the party diktat he did not feel to be seen as ''defector'' and hence immediately took the decision to resign as legislator to keep his moral high.

Mr Namdhari said 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 anti-defection law.

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

As both parties were busy exchanging rhetorics in bid to assert respective position in the seat, Mr Namdhari had created furor openly expressing his support for BJP in the fray.

The JD (U) and BJP tried failed to sort a solution over a common candidate and decided to engage in friendly fight in the fray.

(Eds:- Pick up suitably from Namdhari series).

UNI