Amid talks of merger with its parent socialist entity the Janata Dal (Secular), the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) has postponed its State committee meeting, which was scheduled to be held in Kozhikode on Tuesday, to June 2.
LJD leaders said the crucial meeting to take a final call on the party’s merger with the JD(S) was put off in the wake of the Thrikkakara Assembly bypoll slated for May 31. Most of the State and district leaders were campaigning in the keenly watched first byelection in the second Pinarayi Vijayan Ministry.
Besides, the leaders said the party was also engaged with making arrangements for observing the second death anniversary of LJD leader M.P. Veerendrakumar on May 28. Writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair will inaugurate the commemorative event in Kozhikode.
Also, the cancellation of trains in connection with the laying of the second railway track along the Ettumanoor-Kottayam route and the warnings of heavy rain across the State led to the deferment of the State committee meeting, party sources said.
A subcommittee of the party consisting of State president M.V. Shreyams Kumar, national general secretary Varughese George and K.P. Mohanan MLA was to submit its report on the merger talks they had with JD(S) State president Mathew T. Thomas, Minister K. Krishnankutty and former Minister A. Neelalohithadasan Nadar in Kochi on May 12.
Sources said that a broad understanding had already been worked out on the sharing of posts of vice president, State secretary general, national general secretary and district presidents. However, a section of the party leaders wanted the State unit to merge with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) as done by its national leadership.
