Leaders of the Janata Dal (Secular) and Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) met in Kochi on Thursday to work out modalities for the merger of the two parties and sharing of posts of office-bearers in the State unit.
As such, incumbent JD(S) State president Mathew T. Thomas will continue in the post. Three key posts, including senior vice president, secretary general and national general secretary, will be offered to the LJD leaders. LJD State president M.V. Shreyams Kumar will be elevated as one of the national general secretaries from Kerala.
However, the merger of the two parties will take place only after the conclusion of the monsoon session of Assembly beginning June 27. Prior to that, a joint State committee of the parties will be held in Thiruvananthapuram on July 10.
Both the parties would exchange a list of leaders to be accommodated in the district and State committees. A public rally officially proclaiming the unification will be held in Kozhikode in the first week of August. Former Prime Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Deve Gowda will take part in the rally.
Sources said the post of 14 district presidents would be equally shared between the two parties. Leaders of both the parties would get reasonable representation on the executive and State committees. The new committee will have 30 members each from both sides.
However, the Ministerial berth now occupied by K. Krishnankutty of the JD(S) would not be shared with the LJD, which has a lone legislator K.P. Mohanan. The JD(S) had two legislators, including Mr. Thomas. If at all Mr. Krishnankutty steps down from the Cabinet, Mr. Thomas would replace him, sources said.
Mr. Shreyams Kumar, national general secretary Varughese George and State general secretary Sunny Thomas from the LJD side and Mr. Thomas, Mr. Krishnankutty and A. Neelalohithadasan Nadar from the JD(S) took part in the talks on Thursday.
