JD-U chief Sharad Yadav shares dais with Mulayam Singh, fuels speculation of unity

LUCKNOW: Fuelling speculation of an alliance with Samajwadi Party, Janata Dal (United) President Sharad Yadav today shared dais with SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and said socialists have displayed unity at the time of crisis.

"Whenever there is crisis before the country, 'samajwadis' (socialists) become one," he said at the inaugural session of the three-day SP national convention at Janeshwar Mishra Park here.

On his close relations with Mulayam, he said, "We don't have blood relation, but we have a relationship of ideology. Today we may be in different parties..."

Sharad said he and Mulayam had always been "good friends" and he had come to attend the convention on the SP supremo's invitation.

"We have been together since early days. The Constitution has been dealt a severe blow in the present conditions. We have to save it," the JD(U) leader told reporters on the sidelines of the convention.

Though Sharad refused to comment on a possible alliance with SP, he had recently made it clear that he will make efforts to "bring together all those who were part of old Janata Parivar to fight the new political challenge".

JD(U) and RJD, both offshoots of Janata Dal Parivar, have already joined hands to form an alliance in Bihar. In Kerala, Socialist Janata (Democratic) Party, headed former Union Minister M P Veerendra Kumar, too has decided to merge with Janata Dal (United) last month.

Besides, efforts are on to bring on board splinter groups which are politically significant in other states.

The unity drive in the erstwhile Janata Parivar has come after the Narendra Modi juggernaut crushed JD(U) in Lok Sabha elections in Bihar.

Without naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the JD(U) chief said those in government should perform and speak less and charged the government at the Centre with only selling dreams.

Taking a dig at Swachh Bharat Campaign of Modi, he asked, "Does the road get clean by using broom just one day?"