The Hindu : Revolt against 'undemocratic' merger

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 01, 2003

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National

Revolt against 'undemocratic' merger

By Gargi Parsai

New Delhi Oct. 31. Even before the merger of the Samata Party and the Janata Dal (United) announced here on Thursday could be cemented, the former JD (U) Parliamentary Party leader, Devendra Prasad Yadav, today raised a banner of revolt saying that he would legally challenge the merger that had been done without consulting the party.

Similar protests have been made by some Samata workers who feel that if anyone has gained it is the party chief, George Fernandes, who has been named president of the new entity.

While the BJP president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, welcomed the move saying it would be conducive to the working of the NDA, the Nationalist Congress Party of Sharad Pawar categorically ruled out any links with the new entity and welcomed Mr. Devendra Prasad Yadav's protest.

Mr. Yadav, a known baiter of the former JD (U) president, Sharad Yadav, said he would challenge the "unconstitutional" and "undemocratic" decision "legally" as well as in the party forum.

He did not say if the decision would prompt a split in the former JD (U), but hinted that there were other MPs and MLAs who felt like he did. He said that Shashi Kumar of Karnataka had also protested against the decision while two MLAs — Ramashish Yadav and Ram Kumar Yadav — have reportedly issued a joint statement in Bihar against the merger.

Asserting that a party was not "a private limited company" of any individual, Mr. Yadav said "a drawing room decision" could not be taken without the consent of the party's national council. "Here the `Non-Resident Bihari' leaders have taken a decision between themselves, even decided who'd be the President and then taken a decision to call the National Councils of respective parties. This is a gimmick which will fall as did the merger move in 2000."

Quoting Article 32 of the JD (U)'s constitution, he said such a decision should first be discussed in the national executive and then ratified by a two-thirds majority of the national council.

There was no official JD (U) comment on Mr. Yadav's assertions. Sources, however, said that Mr. Yadav was perhaps looking for an excuse to leave the party. He had voted against the party line on Gujarat in Parliament.

However, party bigwigs continued to woo smaller Janata Pariwar splinter groups. It is expected that three members of the RJD (Democratic) and the breakaway BJD members will soon join the merged JD (U).

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