Sushil Modi says Speakers have become puppets

New Delhi: Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushil Kumar Modi blamed the shortcomings in anti-defection law for the drama in the state on Monday when 13 Rashtriya Janata Dal MLAs reportedly quit the party to form a new group. Modi tweeted over the turn of events and said that too much power has been vested in the Speakers, who have become "puppets".

"Still many lacuna in anti defection bill giving unbridled power to Speaker. Spkr doesn't takes decision for yrs giving edge to ruling party," he tweeted.

He also lambasted Bihar Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary for not verifying the letter submitted to him by some RJD MLAs. "Speaker deliberately recognised 13 RJD MLA's without verifying signature nor verifying by physical presence. Speakers have become puppets," he posted on Twitter.

Modi, who is in Delhi for talks with the party top leadership, has been very vocal in his criticism of the Nitish Kumar led state government in Bihar every since the Janata Dal United broke ties with BJP.

On Monday evening 13 RJD MLAs reportedly resigned from the Lalu Prasad led party to form a new bloc and announced their support to the JDU. Stung by the rebellion, Lalu quickly acted to shepherd back his legislators with nine of them clarifying that they were still with the RJD and that their signatures had been forged.