Nitish Kumar hails SJD's merger with JD-U in Kerala

Kerala-based party Socialist Janata (Democratic) headed by former Union minister MP Veerendra Kumar and a constituent of ruling Congress-led UDF in the state merged with Janata Dal (United) in the presence of party President Sharad Yadav.

Formalising the merger, the JD-U flag was handed over to Veerendra Kumar by Yadav and former Bihar chief minister and party leader Nitish Kumar in front of a huge gathering.

Yadav declared Veerendra Kumar as the President of Kerala JD-U unit.

He also asked Veerendra Kumar to take efforts to strengthen the party in neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

"This is a historic moment and the beginning of socialist unity going to take place at national level", Nitish said.

SJD has two MLAs -KP Mohanan, who is the Agriculture Minister and Shreyams Kumar, son of Veerendra Kumar -- in the 140-member Assembly.

Announcing the merger decision in New Delhi in September last, Yadav and Veerendra Kumar had said they have come together to strengthen "secular democratic forces" as they feel that there is a need to create a platform for this.

Veerendra Kumar was in Janata Dal (Secular) headed by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda from 1999 to 2010, when Janata Dal had broken into many factions after some of its leaders decided to join hands with BJP-led NDA at the Centre.

He parted ways with the JD(S) and formed the SJ(D) on August 7, 2010.

Speaking at the merger convention, Yadav accused the BJP of not fulfilling its electoral promises, including bringing back black money stashed away abroad, and instead working on its "hidden agenda to foment communal trouble".

Claiming that the NDA Government had failed on all fronts, he said instead of generating employment it had put a ban on fresh appointments.

Yadav and Nitish Kumar came down on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remaining silent when his party MPs "praised" Nathuram Godse as patriot.

Modi even failed to clarify the government's stand on the controversial 'Ghar Vapsi' reconversion programme by VHP resulting in loss of Parliament hours, they said.

Both the leaders asked the government to deliver.

Terming the merger of SJD with JDU as "a historic event", Kumar said the need of the hour was to forge a strong opposition to uphold democracy in the country and pointed out to the recent united protest staged by Socialist groups in Delhi against the BJP's policies.

"Our main aim is to become a strong opposition for the success of democracy. We are trying to bring all forces opposed to communal forces," he said.

Veerendra Kumar said whenever there was crisis in the country, the socialist leaders such as Ram Manohar Lohia were in the forefront.

"It is our duty to bring all socialist forces to defeat the communal designs of BJP and uphold the unity of the country," he added.