Nitish downplays Ram Gopal Yadav's comment, says merger done

With question being raised over the fate of Janata Parivar merger following comment by a senior Samajwadi Party leader, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said the decision of the merger has already been taken and there was no question of going back on it.
"A decision for merger of six parties in Janata Parivar has already been taken and there is no question of going back on it," Kumar told reporters in a bid to clear the cloud of uncertainty over unified Janata Party.
Kumar, who has been playing a significant role in the unification exercise, did not give much credence to comments by senior Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav who had yesterday said the merger into Janata Parivar was not possible before Bihar Assembly polls and any such move now would amount to signing the 'death warrant' of his own party.

"In democracy everybody has a right to speak but the fact is that there is no irritant in the merger of Janata Parivar now," Kumar said emerging from "Janata ke Darbar me Mukhya Mantri" programme.
He said things were going in the "right path" to sort out technicalities of the process and a favourable result would emerge before everybody soon.
"Things happen slowly and gradually. Even if a gardener pours 100 pots of water, a tree will bear fruit only in the right season," Kumar said quoting a couplet by legendary poet Rahim to stress his point.

Ducking questions as to whether a final picture of the merger with one flag and one symbol would come before Bihar poll later this year, Kumar repeated the couplet and insisted that things would happen in its time.

He, however, rubbished reports of any "difference" between JD(U) and RJD over seat sharing for Bihar poll and who would be its face in the crucial Bihar election. "Things are progressing in the right path," he said.
In reply to a question if talks with Congress and CPI was also underway to stitch a broader secular alliance against BJP and its allies in the Bihar assembly poll, Kumar said those parties were in favour of it in principle.
"But, a concrete talk with Congress, CPI and other secular parties would take place at a later stage after our merger is achieved," he said.

Asked if the unified Janata Parivar and its broader alliance with secular parties like Congress and CPI would be visible in election to 24 seats of Bihar Legislative Council from local bodies in July next, Kumar answered in the affirmative.