The Kerala unit of the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) has formally decided to merge itself with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), an ally in the ruling Grand Alliance in Bihar.
M.P. Shreyams Kumar, LJD State president, told the media after a meeting on Thursday that discussions had been held with the RJD over the proposal. “We had talks with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav when he visited Kozhikode last month. It had been discussed earlier as well. The RJD has never taken a political stand in favour of the BJP despite being harassed for long. The State committee today decided to cooperate with such parties,” he said.
This puts to an end the speculation over the future of the LJD’s merger talks with the State unit of the Janata Dal (Secular). Both the parties had almost finalised the merger and discussions were revolving around the constitution of office-bearers in various committees.
Asked about this, Mr. Shreyams Kumar said that there had been no change in the secular approach of the JD(S) State unit. “If the so-called national leadership takes a different position, the State leaders will not follow that political line because their secular credentials are intact. However, the JD(S) is not part of the Opposition alliance against the BJP. At a time when there is a movement [against the BJP] at the national level, we cannot have any truck with a party which is not part of it,” Mr. Shreyams Kumar pointed out.
He claimed that on a couple of occasions, the political position of the JD(S) leadership had been unclear and opportunistic. “One was the President election. Another one was during the Karnataka Assembly elections when the party said it would join hands with whichever party that would support it,” he added. It is learnt that an announcement on the merger will be made soon. A decision about joining either of the two political fronts in the State too is expected in the coming days.
