Patna, Sept. 5: The JDU today submitted a petition to Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu seeking the disqualification of dissident JDU leaders Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar from the Rajya Sabha.

RCP Singh, the JDU's leader in the Rajya Sabha, and national general secretary Sanjay Jha met Naidu, who is chairman of the upper House of Parliament, around 4.45pm and handed over the petition with documents - resolution of the JDU national executive, council and legislators, and paper clippings - attached. They have sought the dissident MPs' disqualification from the House for going against the party's stand on breaking from the Grand Alliance. The JDU also observed that Sharad and Anwar's attendance in the August 27 rally called by RJD chief Lalu Prasad meant they had voluntarily left the party.

'We have sought the disqualification of both Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar. The party is bigger than individuals,' Jha told The Telegraph. He said it was the discretion of the Chairman if he deals with the issue himself or hands it over to the privilege committee.

The JDU has said its national executive, national council, legislators and MPs decide its course. 'All these bodies had endorsed the step of breaking from the RJD on account of corruption charges against Lalu Prasad and his family. Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar spoke against the party's decision making it clear that they had voluntarily left the party,' Jha said.

Sharad and Anwar participated in the August 27 rally in Patna's Gandhi Maidan. The JDU leaders said they had been given a written warning well in advance that their participation would be deemed as leaving the party.

Anwar's tenure in the Rajya Sabha ends next year but Sharad has more than four years left.

The party, in its petition, cited earlier incidents where MPs have lost their seats for going against the party's policies. They pointed out that Sharad has never talked about corruption charges faced by Lalu and his family members - the main reason for the JDU to snap ties with the party.

The Sharad-led faction has already staked claim to the Election Commission claiming that it is the original JDU. Anwar has said they would appear before the chairman of parliamentary panel when they are served notice to explain their stand.