Patna,(BiharTimes): It is for the legal and constitutional experts to decide as to how much unconstitutional it is for the Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary to terminate the membership of four rebel Janata Dal (United) MLAs.

But, according to many observers, the step is too harsh and not politically prudent. Not only were the legislators disqualified they have even been deprived of the benefits, facilities and privileges of the former legislators. A day later they were expelled by the Janata Dal (United) too.

Though the terminated MLAs equated the action with the Maoists’ diktat and called it Tughlaqi ‘farman’ (order) and the BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi dubbed it dictatorial and unconstitutional the Speaker’s action clearly has the stamp of former chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Analysts are of the view that Nitish Kumar has not learnt anything from his past blunders. With Assembly election just a year ago it would have been better if he would have left these dissident MlAs on their own. He could have easily denied ticket to them next year. Or the maximum he could have done was to get them expelled from the party or terminated from the House. But he went for the overkill and got them deprived of all the benefits of the former MLAs.

Sushil Modi has asked as to how can the Speaker terminate the membership of the House just because they voted against the party line as they have been elected by lakhs of people. His argument may be technically correct. But the big question is how much politically correct the move is?

After the by-poll defeat in August last the activities of these dissidents lost much of its momentum. It amounts to flogging the dead horse. By taking such a harsh step the Janata Dal (United) has given a new life to the them.

Commentators have now started asking as to what will happen if these MLAs win the election once again as Independent or on any other party ticket. Will the Speaker stop their entry and still deprive them of all the facilities and benefits?

Anyway the terminated MLAs have already announced that they would move court.

The Congress and RJD have in the past taken action against the rebels in the respective parties and expelled their leaders. But old-timers recall that they have never used the office of Speaker to deprive the legislators of the benefits which is entitled to them even as a former MLA. How can this happen? one of them asked.

It is generally felt that Nitish has the habit of making the political battle a personal one. He had done so with ‘bade bhai’ (elder brother) Lalu Prasad. That is why many in the RJD have not still forgiven him.

Then he made Narendra Modi his personal enemy, though like Lalu Prasad he had a good relationship with the then Gujarat chief minister. Now he is avoiding eye contact with the present prime minister.

Similarly, the four MLAs against whom he took action were considered too close to him. Their leader Gyanu was among the founder members of the Samata Party, yet Nitish did not hesitate in taking such a strong action against him and three others.

As in politics there is no permanent friend or foe taking extreme step against friends-turned-rivals is not a very acceptable move.