The New People’s Party is pondering a lawsuit against the Liberal Democratic Party for punitive measures the LDP took against defectors.
From Mainichi:
Kokumin Shinto (the New People’s Party), a splinter group of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), is considering suing the governing party, claiming that the LDP’s expulsion of its leader Tamisuke Watanuki, and other politicians, damaged their dignity, party officials said.
The new party will seek revocation of the punitive measures against Watanuki, former LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Shizuka Kamei and other members and demand compensation from the governing party.
“The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has approved their decision to voluntarily leave the LDP and their formation of the new party. The LDP badly damaged their dignity by expelling them on disciplinary grounds,” a Kokumin Shinto official said.
The LDP decided to expel Watanuki, who once served as LDP secretary-general and speaker of the House of Representatives, Kamei and other members for voting against the postal privatization bills in defiance of party leadership.
Watanuki, Kamei and a few other rebels quit the LDP and formed Kokumin Shinto after Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi dissolved the House of Representatives in August for the Sept. 11 general election. (Mainichi)
Seems unlikely such a suit would get them anywhere. A sign of desparation more than anything.
