Wednesday, February 9 2005 20:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ranchi: The JMM (Jharkand Mukti Morcha) is planning to seek party MP Stephen Marandi's disqualification from the Rajya Sabha for throwing a challenge to the party's official candidate by contesting as an Independent from Dumka in the ensuing Jharkhand Assembly polls as the last date for withdrawal ended today (Feb 9, 2005).

"The party will consult legal experts before requesting the Rajya Sabha chairman to disqualify his House membership under the anti-defection act," senior party leader Sailendra Bhattacharya told reporters in Ranchi.

"His membership should be cancelled as he is contesting against the party's official candidate which amounts to quitting the party on his own," he added.

Marandi, who has been allotted drum as his election symbol, got support from the district RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal).

Soren, meanwhile, got another set back when his political secretary P N Pandey also refused to withdraw from the fray as Independent from Bokaro constituency which, under a poll pact JMM left for the Congress.

"Seat-sharing is made to win seats, not to lose...And in Bokaro, the JMM has more popularity then the Congress as the constituency is the second home town of Guruji (Soren)," Pandey told reporters over phone.

While Bhattacharya said a show cause notice has been sent to the residence of Pandey, the latter claimed that he had not received any directions from the party president and Union Coal Minister Sibu Soren, "whose blessings are with me".