CPI welcomes merger of Janata Parivar offshoots

NEW DELHI: Stating that the emergence of strong secular parties was the need of the hour, CPI today welcomed the merger of the offshoots of ' Janata Parivar', hoping the six unified outfits will fight "communal" and "anti-nation" march of Narendra Modi-led central government.

"The CPI welcomes decision of six constituents of erstwhile Janata Dal to merge into one Janata entity. The CPI notes with all optimism and confidence the unified Janata family will fight the inhuman, divisive, communal and anti-nation march of the Government with the overt and covert support of BJP-RSS-Sangh outfits.

"The emergence of stronger secular parties is need of the hour," CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said, adding, the unified parties should also have clarity about exposing the neo-liberal economic policies of the Centre.

The party also congratulated Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who will head the merged entity, and leaders of other five parties for taking such a courageous decision.

"CPI expects meaningful united action on issues of secularism, democracy, peasants' and workers' rights, freedom of speech, etc, along with all democratic forces including the new Janata entity," Reddy added.

Six offshoots of 'Janata Parivar' merged together yesterday to form a new party to take on a resurgent BJP, especially in the context of the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar later this year.

The ruling parties in UP and Bihar, Samajwadi Party and JD(U), RJD, INLD, JD(S) and Samajwadi Janata Party formally decided to merge at a meeting at the residence of SP President Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has been chosen the head of the new outfit.

The merger comes almost two decades after the then Janata Dal disintegrated in the 90s.