The meeting, he claimed, will show Yadav's support in the party and it will be followed by the national council meeting on October 8.

"It will be clear on September 17 how much support Sharad Yadav has in the party. It is Bihar chief minister Kumar and not Yadav who strayed from the party's avowed position and betrayed it by joining hands with the BJP," he said.

In its application before the EC, the Yadav faction also registered its protest against its earlier decision, claiming it was based on "hyper-technical" ground and the Commission should have allowed them a hearing.

The JD(U) leaders backing Kumar have claimed that an overwhelming number of popularly elected members of the party and its office bearers are with the Bihar CM, and Yadav enjoys little support. They had also submitted affidavits of the leaders supporting Kumar with the Commission.