Decks cleared for LJD-JD(S) merger in Kerala

While Mathew Thomas will continue as State president of JD(S), the posts of secretary general, senior vice president and parliamentary board chairman will be allotted to LJD.

After five years of political wrangling, the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) has finally decided to reunite with its parent socialist entity, the Janata Dal (Secular) [ JD(S) ] in Kerala.

The two allies of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M]-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) have agreed to merge after reaching an amicable settlement of the post of State president, the Cabinet berth and sharing of the positions in the district and State levels. 

Post merger, Mathew T. Thomas, the incumbent State president of JD (S) will continue in the post. The posts of secretary general, senior vice president and parliamentary board chairman will be allotted to LJD. Likewise, the post of 14 district presidents will be shared between the two parties..

Party sources said that a seven member committee from both sides have been constituted to successfully steer the merger deal. Earlier the leadership of the both parties had also separately held meetings to arrive at the unification plans..

With the merger of the two parties, the JD(S) will have three MLAs. Besides, the merger will be intimated to the LDF leadership shortly. “ Our plans are coming to fruition sooner rather than later,”  a party functionary said.

The proposed amalgamation of the LJD and JD(S) was chalked out for execution last year. But the plans went awry after the national leadership of the JD (S) favoured BJP- led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)‘s nominees Droupadi Murmu and Jagdeep Dhankhar for President and Vice-President elections respectively. Then the LJD leadership also signalled to put on hold the unity plans until Karnataka Assembly polls.

However both parties now believe in the renewed buoyancy to remain as a single political party in the State. The JD(S) with two legislators secured a berth in the second Pinarayi Vijayan Ministry while the LJD failed to get inducted into the Cabinet.