The Kerala unit of the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) has reiterated its demand for a ministerial berth in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala.
Party’s Kerala president M.V. Shreyams Kumar said on October 9 that the demand had been raised at an LDF meeting. “We have been told that discussions would be held among the alliance partners on this,” he said.
Mr. Kumar also indicated that the party might stake a claim for a Lok Sabha seat. The LJD has only one MLA, K.P. Mohanan, in the Assembly.
Mr. Kumar was addressing the media ahead of the party’s merger with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) at an event to be held in Kozhikode on October 12. RJD national president Lalu Prasad, his son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, and party MP Manoj Kumar Jha, among others, are expected to attend the meeting.
Mr. Kumar said that strengthening of like-minded socialist parties was the need of the hour to bolster the electoral prospects of the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
Asked about the recent split in the State unit of the RJD and formation of the National Janata Dal, he said that the RJD had been cooperating with the LDF. “A section among the State unit of the RJD claims that they are part of the UDF. However, the UDF says it is not correct to say so. Some leaders from the RJD State unit will be present at the merger meeting,” Mr. Kumar said.
The LJD leader said that Mr. Tejashwi Yadav had discussed the merger proposal with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on May 28 when he came to Kozhikode to participate in the M.P. Veerendra Kumar memorial event. “There is no lack of clarity on that,” he added.
