Janata Dal merger process treading its own path: Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said the process of merger of splinter parties into Janata Dal was "treading its own path."
"During my Delhi stay I had fruitful talks with Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Prasad and Sharad Yadav ... There was talks wihtin JD(U) too," Kumar told reporters at Patna Airport on his return from a three-day stay at the national capital.
"Everything is moving in the right direction ... Merger process is treading its own path and positive results will come," said Kumar, who is playing a pivotal role in the merger process to take on resurgent BJP in the Bihar assembly poll later this year.

There was, however, nothing new now which could be shared with the media, he said and thanked it for its interest in the merger of Janata Dal and allayed all apprehensions being expressed about merger.
Kumar said he also had a meeting with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during which he handed over a memorandum to provide special assistance to Bihar to compensate for the loss accruing due to recommendations of the 14th Finance commission. He also urged Jaitley to continue Backward Regions Grant Fund in the state.
Following the April 15 meeting of constituent parties in which Mulayam Singh Yadav was declared the head of the unified party, top leaders including him, Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad and Sharad Yadav held discussions for the past three days in Delhi on deciding a common symbol and flag.

Reports reaching here said Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad also had detailed discussion on number of seats they would contest in the Bihar assembly poll scheduled later this year.
There were discussions between the two as well with Congress leaders on contesting poll in July to 24 seats of legislative council from local bodies together as start up to broad secular alliance taking on resurgent BJP and its allies in the Bihar poll, the reports said.