Janata Dal splinter groups may choose a common leader

Facing a formidable challenge in their turfs from Narendra Modi-led BJP, several splinter groups of erstwhile Janata Dal are likely to choose a common leader during the coming winter session of parliament to put up a united fight.
"This is an arrangement we are looking at and we will take a decision when the session begins," said JD(U) President Sharad Yadav who is a driving force behind the unity exercise.
The front will have SP, JD(U), O P Chautala-led INLD, Lalu Prasad-led RJD and H D Deve Gowda-led JD(S) as its members and their combine strength is 15 in Lok Sabha and 25 in Rajya Sabha.

The development takes place some two weeks after the leaders of the splinter groups had a luncheon meeting convened by Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Leaders of all these parties had met earlier also to revive some sort of third front. They had recently come together at a public meeting in Meerut organised by Ajit Singh of Rashtriya Lok Dal. The RLD chief met Yadav at his residence today in this regard.
Proponents of the Janata Parivar unity believe that Janata Dal had been an axis power whenever non-Congress governments were formed at the Centre. The emergence of BJP in the Lok Sabha as the dominant force has put a stiff challenge before SP in UP and JD(U) and RJD in Bihar.

They believe that a united front will also have a bigger say in case of any larger "secular alliance" against BJP. JD(U) and RJD have already joined hands in Bihar. JD(U) leaders had also campaigned for INLD in recent Haryana Assembly elections.