JD(S) ready to merge with LJD

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) and Janata Dal(S) have started unofficial talks to merge.

Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) headed by media baron and Rajya Sabha member M.P. Veerendra Kumar and Janata Dal (S) led by senior legislator C.K. Nanu, are both allies of the CPI-M led Left Democratic Front (LDF).

It was in 2009 that Kumar after being miffed by not getting the Kozhikode Lok Sabha seat along with a section of his party leaders split and became part of the JD(U) led by Nitish Kumar and in Kerala joined the Congress led United Democratic Front ( UDF) .

Then leaders like Nanu, former State Minister Mathew T.Thomas, Minister for Water Resources K. Krishnankutty remained with the LDF.

Nanu while addressing the media on Tuesday said that with the recent happenings in the country it's the need of the hour that the erstwhile Janata party colleagues join hands.

Even though at today's meeting there has been no discussion on the merger, there is a feel that it's time that all former colleagues should come together," said Nanu and we will be looking forward.

"There has been unofficial talks on this and soon will take this issue in our party and then the final decision will be made ,a said Kumar's son and former legislator M.V. Shreyams Kumar.

Incidentally this merger was on the cards ever since Kumar and his party in Kerala unhappy with his leader Nithish Kumar aligning with the BJP led NDA, quit from the Upper House in December 2017.

With this his party then decided to move out of the UDF too and decided to work with the LDF.

For this he was given a ticket to the Upper House by the LDF here and was elected in March 2018.

In December last year, his party was made a full-fledged ally of the LDF.