The State committee of the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) has set up a subcommittee headed by its president M.V. Shreyamskumar to take forward a proposal to merge the party with any of the other socialist parties in the Janata Parivar. This was decided at a meeting here on Sunday.
LJD secretary general Varughese George told the media that discussions were under way with the national leaderships of the Janata Dal (Secular), Samajwadi Party, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
The State unit of the LJD had been in a predicament ever since the Sharad Yadav-led party recently merged with the RJD. The State unit had reportedly termed the merger as an arbitrary decision without following due procedures.
Not unconditional
Mr. George said that the party had been in touch with people upholding socialist ideals at the national level. The merger would not be unconditional as the LJD had an identity of its own, he said.
A section in the party wanted to merge with the JD(S), as proposed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) even before last year’s Assembly polls. The talks between leaders of the two parties, however, had failed to reach any breakthrough.
The JD(S) has apparently expressed its willingness for a merger again as some leaders in the party think it would strengthen them in the State. Another option is to merge the party with the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, which is in the Opposition in Uttar Pradesh.
