Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav on Saturday said the proposed December-22 ‘Mahadharna’ in New Delhi would be the “first solid step” towards merger of old Janata Parivar parties, but no timeline could be fixed for it.
“ Koi Tarikh nahi di ja shakti hai iske liye (No date could be given when this merger will be completed),” Mr. Yadav told porters here.
“After two sittings of leaders, we decided to hold a ’Mahadharna’ on December 22 at Delhi to expose the BJP government,” he said, adding the agitation would also be the “first solid step” towards the merger of six parties that split from the old Janata Parivar.
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Asked if more parties would join the merger, he said “So far only parties who are coming on their own volition are involved but, later on when more such parties show interest we will consider.”
Samajwadi Party (SP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), JD(U), Janata Dal (Secular), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP) are splinters of the erstwhile Janata Party.
The JD(U) chief emphasised on the need for greater unity among parties which were once part of Janata Parivar to add to their strength to take on BJP which “has been threatening the secular fabric of the country”.
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Mr. Yadav along with Nitish Kumar and K.C. Tyagi attended two luncheon meetings at the house of SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav in New Delhi early this month.