Sharad Yadav’s camp floats new party, seeks oppn unity

NEW DELHI: The Janata Dal parivar on Friday witnessed the birth of yet another new party — the Loktatrik Janata Dal launched by the Sharad Yadav camp — which soon announced its positioning with the anti-BJP political parties. Yadav, who presided over the foundation-day function in Delhi as the chief guest, has accused the Modi government of imposing “undeclared Emergency” in the-country and called upon all Opposition parties to join hands to defeat the BJP in next Lok Sabha polls.

“We all (Opposition parties) should vow to remove this government in 2019. If they come to power again, then you will not be allowed to hold meetings and make speeches again. I appeal to all Opposition to unite now as we won’t get a chance after 2019. Because there will be no democracy if the BJP wins again. Even our Constitution will be endangered”, Yadav told the delegates.

Because of his ongoing legal battle over JD(U) symbol, Yadav technically acted as a chief guest, not a member of the party, even though he is its the de facto patron. Targeting the Modi government and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for “sitting in the lap of BJP”, Yadav said, “the NDA dispensation has failed to fulfill key promises and relied on communalising elections on Hindu-Muslim issues to come to power.” On the Karnataka tussle, Yadav said, “Vajpayee resigned as prime minister after losing a trust motion by one vote while the same BJP, captured by some people, is now crushing people's mandate in the southern state even as the Congress-JD(S) combine had 13 more MLAs than it.” Rajya Sabha member M P Veerendra Kumar proposed asocial resolution on the occasion.