Efforts to bring together Janata Parivar set to resume again

Patna: After initial hiccups, there are reports that efforts to bring together the Janata Parivar are all set to resume again.

As per a report in The Hindu, the first step will be election of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as president of the Janata Dal (United). That will likely happen at the JD(U) national executive meeting in the capital on April 10.

Following that, Nitish will spearhead the efforts to merge JD(U) with Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), the Samajwadi Janata Party, led by Kamal Morarka, and Babulal Marandi-led Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM).

The parties are aiming for the merger of Janata Parivar parties before the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections with an aim to provide a viable alternative to BJP.

The Janata Parivar is likely to be led by Nitish Kumar.

A senior office-bearer of the JD(U) told the newspaper that “the constituent parties (had) met the Election Commission a few weeks ago”.

The JD(U) wants the election symbol for Janata Parivar to be Samajwadi Janata Party's current symbol, ‘Banyan Tree’.

“This was the symbol of the old Socialist Party headed by Ram Manohar Lohia, and we hope we get this,” the JD(U) leader told the newspaper.