Jha has been accused of going against the party line of not joining the CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal-led government by knocking at the doors of lawmakers and telling them to join the Khanal cabinet.[break]
“The party has decided to suspend Jha from ordinary membership as well until the disciplinary committee submits its report,” Laxman Lal Karna, co-chairman of SP, told Republica, adding the national working committee, upon studying the report, will then decide whether to acquit or sack Jha.
Karna further said Jha had tried to coax the party´s lawmakers to join the government even if that meant a party split, promising them money and attractive portfolios.
Jha said he was surprised and worried by the party´s decision to suspend him.
“It is incredible that nobody in the country other than a few party leaders including Rajendra Mahato should know that I was engineering a split,” Jha told Republica.
SP, which has nine lawmakers, had decided to remain in the opposition as per the decision of the United Democratic Madhesi Front. It had voted for Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (Democratic) Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar´s prime ministerial candidacy.
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