The politburo unanimously approved Bafel Talabani’s decision to expel Lahur Talabany, Zhino Mohammed, Shadman Mala Hassan, and Ala Talabani, PUK media said.
It also suspended Lahur Talabany’s brother Aras Sheikh Jangi for six months, it added.
After months of tensions, Lahur Talabany and three other party members were formally expelled from the PUK on Tuesday through a decision made by rival co-chair Bafel Talabani and his allies.
Lahur Talabany has contested his ousting, saying it does not follow party rules and demanding a meeting of the leadership council.
“Such decisions can only be made by the leadership council, and the council has not had a meeting,” a source close to Lahur Talabany told Rudaw English on Thursday. “He had temporarily handed his powers to Bafel Talabani, that decision had a number of requirements, and those requirements have not been met and the leadership council has not held a meeting. Therefore, he will retain his powers.”
Bafel Talabani cut Lahur Talabany out of the PUK’s halls of power in early July when he changed the head of the party’s intelligence agency and counter-terrorism units who were affiliated with Lahur Talabany and replaced them with people loyal to himself, saying the shake-up was needed to combat corruption. Lahur Talabany denied the accusations made against him.
In a video message on Facebook on Tuesday, Lahur Talabany criticized the party’s performance in Iraq’s October 10 parliamentary election and the path the party has taken.
Shadman Mala Hassan rejected Bafel Talabani’s decision at the time calling it “void.”
“This decision is not based on the bylaws, and it is not in anyone’s decision to remove leadership members. Leadership members were elected in a congress vote and that is the only way they can be removed,” Hassan told Rudaw’s Bahroz Faraidoon.
