As SJD, JD(U) merge in Kerala, Nitish Kumar hails the ‘beginning of socialist unity’

Thiruvananthapuram : Socialist Janata Democratic (SJD), a ally of the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, merged with the JD(U) on Sunday. This makes the JD(U) a partner of the ruling Congress in Kerala.

At a public meeting in Thrissur, JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav and former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar handed over the party flag to SJD state president M P Veerendrakumar, marking the merger of both parties.

“This is a historic moment and the beginning of socialist unity going to take place at the national level,” Nitish said. In a bid to rally anti-BJP forces, JD(U), which is pushing for unity among splinter groups of Janata Parivar, said all parties with similar principles and ideology should come together to counter the saffron party’s “divisive” ideology.

Yadav said the merger of socialist parties was the need of the hour at a time when the BJP was trying to divide the nation along communal lines.

Kerala has become the stage for a new beginning for socialist parties in the country, which have come together at time of crisis, he said.

Yadav hoped the merger of the SJD with the JD(U) would help regroup socialist parties in Karnataka as well. Nominating the SJD state chief as the new president of the Kerala unit of the JD(U), Yadav said the party was looking to bring together all socialist parties in South India.

The SJD, which has three legislators in the Assembly, was formed in 2010 after renaming a breakaway faction of Janata Dal (S), a constituent of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front. A faction of JD(S), under the leadership of its state president M P Veerendrakumar, had left the LDF in 2009 after being denied its sitting seat of Kozhikode to contest the Lok Sabha elections in 2009.

A fraction of the JD(S) is still with the LDF in Kerala. The SJD suffered a split in 2013 after senior leaders K Krishnankutty and M K Premnath revolted against Veerendrakumar’s leadership. The rebel SJD returned to JD(S) earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the JD(U), which used to be an ally of the BJP in Bihar, also said the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha’s demand to install Nathuram Godse’s bust in various locations was a challenge to the nation.

Thiruvananthapuram | Posted: December 29, 2014 2:15 am | Updated: December 29, 2014 8:18 am

Socialist Janata Democratic (SJD), a ally of the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, merged with the JD(U) on Sunday. This makes the JD(U) a partner of the ruling Congress in Kerala.
At a public meeting in Thrissur, JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav and former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar handed over the party flag to SJD state president M P Veerendrakumar, marking the merger of both parties.
“This is a historic moment and the beginning of socialist unity going to take place at the national level,” Nitish said. In a bid to rally anti-BJP forces, JD(U), which is pushing for unity among splinter groups of Janata Parivar, said all parties with similar principles and ideology should come together to counter the saffron party’s “divisive” ideology.
Yadav said the merger of socialist parties was the need of the hour at a time when the BJP was trying to divide the nation along communal lines.
Kerala has become the stage for a new beginning for socialist parties in the country, which have come together at time of crisis, he said.
Yadav hoped the merger of the SJD with the JD(U) would help regroup socialist parties in Karnataka as well. Nominating the SJD state chief as the new president of the Kerala unit of the JD(U), Yadav said the party was looking to bring together all socialist parties in South India.
The SJD, which has three legislators in the Assembly, was formed in 2010 after renaming a breakaway faction of Janata Dal (S), a constituent of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front. A faction of JD(S), under the leadership of its state president M P Veerendrakumar, had left the LDF in 2009 after being denied its sitting seat of Kozhikode to contest the Lok Sabha elections in 2009.
A fraction of the JD(S) is still with the LDF in Kerala. The SJD suffered a split in 2013 after senior leaders K Krishnankutty and M K Premnath revolted against Veerendrakumar’s leadership. The rebel SJD returned to JD(S) earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the JD(U), which used to be an ally of the BJP in Bihar, also said the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha’s demand to install Nathuram Godse’s bust in various locations was a challenge to the nation.

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