JD(U), INLD to go together in Haryana Assembly polls

Moving a step closer towards the unification of old 'Janata Parivar', Janata Dal (United) and Indian National Lok Dal on Monday decided to go together in Haryana Assembly elections. "In an effort to unite the distintegrated Janata Dal Parivar, it has been decided by JD(U) and INLD to go together in the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana. "Both parties have good relations since the time of late Chaudhary Devi Lal and our endeavour is to reunite in the same way as was in the past in view of the present political situation in the country," JD(U) President Sharad Yadav said.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), an NDA constituent, has aligned with INLD in Haryana and has nominated candidates from Kalianwali and Ambala City seats for the October 15 polls.
Haryana Assembly has 90 seats. On September 5, JD(U) leaders had attended a 'Samman' rally organised by INLD to mark the 100th birth anniversary of former Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal in Jind. The JD(U) President and Shivpal Yadav, brother of Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, were also present at the rally.

The move to bring JD(U) and INLD closer politically comes more than a week after Socialist Janata (Democratic) Party, headed former Union Minister M P Veerendra Kumar, announced his party's merger with JD(U). The JD(U) President had then said that it had been done in view of the "new emerging situation" before the country and that the beginning in this regard was made from Bihar where it joined hands with archrival Lalu Prasad's RJD.

The coming together of these parties coincides with similar efforts to bring on board splinter groups which are politically significant in other states.
The unity drive in the erstwhile Janata Parivar is coming at a time when the Narendra Modi juggernaut had dealt a crushing blow to JD(U) in Bihar with BJP-led combine winning 31 of 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state.