NEW DELHI: More than two decades after the then Janata Dal disintegrated, six of its constituents merged today to form a new party which will be headed by Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Announcing the merger, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav said a six-member committee will decide on the name of the new party, its symbol, flag and other details.
"We have merged," Sharad Yadav told reporters after top leaders of Samajwadi Party, JD(U), RJD, INLD, JD(S) and Samajwadi Janata Party met at Mulayam Singh Yadav's residence here.
The decision comes ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of JD(U) and one time bitter rival RJD head Lalu Prasad have joined hands to take on a resurgent BJP, which had routed them in Lok Sabha elections in 2014. Both leaders were present at the joint press cofernece.
"It's a historic decision... We have united and we assure people that this will be a strong bond. We will respect the feelings of people," Mulayam said. He will also be the head of the parliamentary party of the new outfit.
The six-member committee will include JD(S) head and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, Prasad, Om Prakash Chautala of INLD, Sharad Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav of SP and Kamal Morarka of Samajwadi Janata Party.