Janata Parivar merger will not happen: Paswan

Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Saturday said the merger of the Janata Parivar would not happen.

"I have earlier told that this (merger) will not happen," Paswan said.

He also said that the Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) would still continue even after the merger happens.

"Even if the merger happens, JD (U) will still persist there. RJD will persist," he said.

Commenting on the union of the Janata Parivar, he further said Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav will not merge with any of the parties.

"The chapter is closed at the national level; Mulayam Singh is not going to merge with anyone else. He has the government why will he merge?"

In the last month, parties of the regrouped Janata Parivar threatened to not allow the Parliament to function, even as cadres of the parties held a protest at the Jantar Mantar, criticizing the Centre for failing to fulfill its promises.

On Friday, Lalu Prasad had said the unification of the Janata Parivar will have to wait for Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav,the only person authorised to say anything on it.

Prasad insisted that all six constituents of the Janata Parivar should merge together, and cautioned that the step should not be rushed through or problems would arise.

It is also being reported that Prasad may be moving closer to Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Janata Dal (United) sources said Ntish Kumar's reported plan to remove Manjhi had gone awry with the RJD chief backing the Chief Minister, a development which can hit the merger plan.