Sharad Yadav merges party with RJD, calls for Opposition unity

Pitching for opposition unity to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 general elections, veteran socialist leader and former minister Sharad Yadav merged his Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) party with the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Sunday.

The merger in the national capital took place 25 years after the two leaders parted ways.

“Opposition unity is imperative across India to fight the BJP. My party’s merger with the RJD is the first step in that direction,” Sharad Yadav told reporters. “We will now work to unite all the opposition parties as defeating BJP is a big challenge.”

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav had quit Janata Dal in 1997 to form his party over differences with its leadership as the probe against fodder case, in which he was the main accused, gathered pace.

Sharad Yadav, a seven-time parliamentarian, was then seen as Lalu’s rival within the Janata Dal. He joined hands with Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar to end RJD’s 15-year reign in Bihar in 2005.

He was also defeated by Lalu from Madhepura in the 2004 parliamentary polls.

Sharad Yadav was, however, seen as a key votary for the JD(U)-RJD alliance in the 2015 assembly elections in Bihar against the BJP, but later parted ways with Kumar over his decision to ally with the BJP again. He formed the LJD in 2018.

Sharad Yadav said his decision to merge his party with the RJD was taken keeping in view the need for a nationwide opposition to fight the BJP.

Calling RJD leader and Lalu’s son, Tejashwi Yadav, the future of Bihar, Sharad Yadav said: “In the next elections in Bihar, he will win. He will work for opposition unity across the country.”

Tejashwi Yadav welcomed the veteran leader into his party’s fold, saying it is a message for the anti-BJP parties to unite to take on the ruling dispensation.

“Since 2019, we have been preparing for the next general elections. The merger of Sharad Yadav’s party with the RJD will give strength (to opposition unity). There is a need to unite all the regional parties in opposition,” he said.

The merger of the two parties has stoked speculation that Sharad Yadav may be sent to Rajya Sabha in the upcoming biennial polls against five vacancies from Bihar.

LJD’s merger with the RJD carried little significance, except that the principal opposition would get a boost in its image of including old socialists and Yadav leaders under its banner, said Nawal Kishore Choudhary, political analyst and former principal of Patna College.

“Sharad Yadav is an individual and his party’s merger with RJD is not of much value. RJD lacks tall leaders in the party, especially those having national identity, and they are keen on using Sharad Yadav’s image to cater to the Yadav vote bank and also play a role in opposition unity,” he said.

The merger is more like a marriage of convenience as it suits the political needs of both Sharad Yadav and Lalu Prasad, BJP’s Bihar spokesperson Nikhil Anand said.

“Laluji is keen to establish his son, while Sharad Yadav, who is out of mainstream politics, is keen to settle his daughter and son in politics. So, this is a marriage of convenience, which is being portrayed as a need for opposition unity. This merger has no political significance,” Anand said.