The much-talked-about merger of Janata Parivar could be announced next week as most of the major issues have been ironed out, JD(U) on Sunday said.
“The merger is bound to happen and it will happen sooner than later,” JD(U) president Sharad Yadav told PTI.
Mualyam Singh Yadav, whose party has the largest number of MPs in Parliament among this group, will be the chairman of the new umbrella party, the sources said.
In the Lok Sabha, the SP has five members, RJD-four, and JD-U, JD (S) and INLD two each. In total they have 15 members in the Lower House.
While in the Rajya Sabha, the SP leads the pack with 15 members, the JD-U has 12 and INLD, JD(S) and RJD one each.
Their total number in the Upper House is 30.
JD(U) general secretary K C Tyagi said that SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav will finalise the merger plan in a day or two after talking INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala and JD(S) chief and former Prime Minister H D Devegowda as a consensus has already been arrived among SP, JD(U) and RJD over the issue.
“An announcement is likely to be made next week starting Monday. In a day or two Mulayam Singh ji will call a meeting of all constituents of the erstwhile Janata Parivar. There are now no differences on party flag, symbol or manifesto. All major issues have been resolved. Some minor details will be worked out in a day or two,” Tyagi said.
He said the issue was discussed threadbare at a meeting chaired by the SP chief here on Friday, which was attended by RJD chief Lalu Prasad, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Indian Express
