Why Samajwadi Party felt better off without a Janata Parivar merger in UP

Ramgopal holds several key posts in the party, including national general secretary and leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha. A merger would inevitably have meant accommodating leaders of the various constituents in key posts. For Ramgopal, the Rajya Sabha post looked particularly under threat, with the JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav senior to the SP leader.

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Ramgopal held several meetings with the family at Mulayam’s home during this period. Besides Ramgopal and Mulayam, the others included Shivpal and Akhilesh.

Although it was Ramgopal who reportedly kept advising against a merger, sources said the entire family was looking at its potential losses.

Thirteen of the family’s members are in active politics and not all of them would have retained their positions in the merged entity.

Then there were the other leaders. During a meeting of Samajwadi Party district presidents with Mulayam two months earlier, all of them had objected to the merger of Janata Parivar parties. Their primary concern, once again, was losing their relevance.

They reportedly pointed out that the other constituents —JD(U), JD(S), SJP and RJD — had no presence in UP and a merger would open the doors for them. In the process, SP leaders would have to surrender not only party tickets but also Rajya Sabha nominations. Besides, it would mean a loss of identity in the form of a two-decade-old party flag and election symbol, the bicycle.

Party sources alleged that leaders of the other parties had already started throwing their weight around. Among district presidents who had been removed in recent months, at least one was replaced with someone recommended by the leadership of one of the other parties, the SP sources have alleged.

“Netaji understood that the janbhawna in the party is against merger. There is no point in forming new party as we will lose whichever way we look at it,” a senior SP leader said.

At a meeting in Delhi on May 23, the Samajwadi Party told the other constituents of the Janata Parivar that a merger is not immediately possible, so it would be better to stitch together an alliance. The SP did strive to keep the constituents together. On May 28, Shivpal Yadav met Nitish Kumar in Patna and reportedly discussed candidate selection as well as seat-sharing with Lalu Prasad’s RJD.

Mulayam is said to have been keen on the merger.

“Whatever the decision, it will be taken by Netaji. We will follow it,” said SP spokesperson Rajendra Choudhary, who did not set a time-frame.