The formal merger of Janata Parivar constituents is expected to be finalised by April 20 and the party may be known as Samajwadi Janata Dal. Highly placed sources in JD(U) said all the formalities of nomenclature, flag and symbol have been settled and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has been authorised to finalise the formalities and to be the president of the new party, has expedited the process. With the nomenclature as Samajwdi Janata Dal, the names of all the six parties involved would be included. These parties are Samajwadi Party, RJD, JD(U), JD(S), INlD and Samajwadi Janata Party.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, “The merger process involving six parties is on right track.” But he refused to say when this process would be completed. Amid the speculation that the symbol of the party might be bicycle, which is the symbol of Samajwadi Party, Nitish refuted to comment on query that he was prepared to pedal. He said everything would be declared very soon.
However, the RJD supremo lalu Prasad is yet to speak on this issue publicly. RJD Bihar president Ram Chandra Purbe and party’s senior leader Raghubansh Prasad Singh have given statement in favour of merger but lalu, who was present during a meeting with Mulayam in New Delhi a few days back along with JD(U) president Sharad Yadav and Nitish, has not come on record on this issue. RJD’s national executive is meeting on April 5 where the top leader is expected to clarify his stand. lalu had earlier stated that the merger would ensure defeat of BJP in Bihar Assembly election. He said this alliance, which the Samjwadis missed for a long would be a permanent alliance.
Purbe said, “All the secular and socialist parties will unite to fight jointly against the communal forces. The efforts of lalu Prasad will certainly bear fruit.”Mulayam is expected to call the meeting of the top leaders of all the six parties in the next few days to chalk out future course of action.
Former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, now expelled from the JD(U), is also keeping a close vigil on the happenings in the party as he thinks his future course of action would depend on the merger of the Janata Parivar parties. He has already declared that once the JD(U) merges with other parties and lose its existence, he would approach the Election Commission for maintaining the existence of the JD(U).
“I have heard about the merger plan and there is possibility that the new party will have cycle as its symbol. I will decide my course of action once JD(U) merges with other parties,” he said. Manjhi’s forum Hindustani Awam Morcha will hold its convention on April 20 where the former CM will announce his future plan.