Bihar: Senior socialist leader and former Union Minister Sharad Yadav on Sunday merged his party Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Along with this, he stressed on unity among opposition parties to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav while welcoming the veteran leader to his party said that this is a message for the anti-BJP parties to unite against the government. Sharad Yadav has also contested the Lok Sabha elections in the past against Tejashwi’s father and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Sharad Yadav (74) was battling health-related problems in the past. His move is being seen as an attempt to rehabilitate his allies as he formed his party after parting ways with Janata Dal (U) (JDU) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Didn’t stay
2019 was contested on RJD ticket
He contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on an RJD ticket. At the same time, his daughter contested the 2020 Bihar Assembly election as a Congress candidate. At that time it was involved in the Congress-RJD-led alliance.
Sharad Yadav told the media here that unity of opposition parties was his priority. He also lauded Tejashwi Yadav for leading the fight against the BJP-led NDA in Bihar. He said that the opposition parties should join hands across the country to take on the BJP.
Will talk to Akhilesh too- Sharad Yadav
Sharad said, “He (Tejashwi) is the future. Youth is needed today. RJD is your party. You have to strengthen it. Strengthen his hands. I may not be as active as before, but I will do my best to strengthen him. I’ll try.”
He further said, “We will talk to Akhilesh to strengthen our fight… I believe Lalu Prasad will walk free one day. He would not have been in jail if he had compromised with communal forces.”
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Earlier announcing his decision to merge with his friend-turned-rival and then friend-turned-politician Lalu Yadav’s political party, Sharad said it would be part of his efforts to bring together various disparate organizations of the erstwhile Janata Dal.
Tejashwi described Sharad as a “father-like and socialist icon”. “Everyone knows the importance of veteran socialist Sharad Yadav in Indian politics. He is like a father figure and will guide us,” he said in Patna recently.
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