The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) won't merge ahead of assembly elections next year, former chief minister Nitish Kumar said Tuesday.
"There is nothing like that happening," he told the media at Samastipur.
Nitish Kumar said the RJD and JD-U would, however, contest the assembly polls as an alliance.
"There is no possibility of a merger. We will only contest the election together," he said.
The JD-U leader said all secular forces should unite to defeat "the communal BJP".
Bihra Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi had said earlier that a merger of the two parties would benefit both the RJD and JD-U.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app