Patna: A JDU delegation called on the Election Commission (EC) on Monday to demand early disposal of the Sharad Yadav faction's petition staking claim to the party.

The delegation, led by party secretary general K.C. Tyagi, had senior JDU leaders, including RCP Singh, Lallan Singh and Sanjay Jha. "We urged the EC for early disposal of the petition filed by the rival delegation as it has already rejected two such petitions filed by the rival faction in the past," Tyagi told The Telegraph over phone from Delhi.

The EC turned down the claims made by the Sharad faction on two earlier occasions.

He said the EC officials were explained that the highest decision-making body i.e. the national executive was with the JDU and also the majority of the party legislators were with the party and hence, there was no point entertaining the claims being made by the rival faction.

Tyagi accepted that the party wanted early disposal of the rival camp's claim, as it had to contest the Gujarat Assembly elections and the nomination for the first phase of the polls, voting for which would take place on December 9, would start on November 9.

Ever since Nitish Kumar decided to walk out of the Grand Alliance he had stitched with the Congress and the RJD in Bihar, a Dal faction led by Sharad Yadav, has been opposing the move. The disgruntled leaders have claimed that they represent the real JDU.

The rival faction also organised its national executive meeting recently and made Chotubhai Vasava its national working president. Vasava happens to be the sole JDU legislator in Gujarat and he represents Jhagadiaya Assembly seat of Bharuch district.