Nitish "suggests" an early meeting of the Janata Parivar

Amidst doubts over the fate of Janata Parivar merger, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has "suggested" Samajwadi Party chief Mulyam Singh Yadav to convene a meeting of the merger committee soon to clear the air.

The debate over the fate of Janata Parivar merger started by the statement by Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav that merger was not possible before the Bihar assembly polls due to technical issues. In reply to question in this regard, Kumar said that he would "suggest" Mulayam Singh Yadav to convene a meeting of the merger committee soon to clear the air. However, Kumar said as per his knowledge there are no technical problems. "But, if some technical issues have been raised as bottleneck they should be sorted out in a meeting of six members of the committee constituted in the last meeting to look into formalities like a common symbol and flag, etc," he said.

The confusion over the fate of Janata Parivar after amalgamation of six splinter parties into a single identity had deepened after a recent comment by RJD President Lalu Prasad that though his party was in favour of merger but if there were technical bottlenecks, an alliance would also do.

Although, he categorically stated that "the chapter is still not closed". Kumar said JD(U) was committed to the merger and there was no issue for the party in the exercise. "The merger is complete and Mulayam Singh Yadav has been declared its head... There is no question of going back on it," he said.

Brushing aside Ram Gopal Yadav's comment, the chief minister said, "His views were personal and advisory in nature and it was not the statement of his party."

On Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi's comment that Bihar assembly polls could be held in September-October, the Bihar CM said only the dates have not yet been finalised. "But, in any case it is the prerogative of the EC ... We are prepared for the poll," he said.