Sharad-Lalu reunion: LJD merges with RJD after 25 years
New Delhi, March 20: Former Union Minister Sharad Yadav merged his Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) with Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Sunday.
After announcing the merger of the two parties, Sharad Yadav stated that the move is the "first step towards (the formation of) a united Opposition" to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party.
"Merger of our party with the RJD is the first step towards forging the Opposition unity. It's imperative that the whole Opposition gets united across India to defeat the BJP. As of now, unification is our priority. It'll be only after that we would think about who will lead the united Opposition," said Sharad Yadav.
Sharad Yadav, after parting ways from the Janata Dal (United) after the party's alliance with BJP, had founded the LJD in 2018.
Since its formation, the LJD has never run for election, and its founder Sharad Yadav lost the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections from Madhepura on the RJD ticket.
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Sharad Yadav was a Cabinet Minister in the NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the time.
The Bihar leaders had parted ways in 1997 after Lalu Prasad Yadav founded the RJD and Sharad Yadav along with Nitish Kumar launched the JD(U).
Later, Lalu Prasad Yadav was convicted in the fodder scam.
In the 1990s, he rode the "Mandal" political wave to power in Bihar, as well as playing a crucial role in national politics.
Following the LJD-RJD merger, the RJD is expected to nominate Sharad Yadav for the Rajya Sabha in June's biennial election for the Upper House.
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-PTC News
