Kozhikode: The Kerala chapter of Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) has merged with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The merger took place at a convention held in Kozhikode on Thursday.

With this, all state units of LJD are part of RJD. The Gujarat and Bihar chapters had merged with the RJD last year.

MV Shreyams Kumar, who was the LJD state president, has been elected the state president of RJD Kerala Committee. RJD national leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav handed over the party flag to Shreyams Kumar at a public function held at Sarovaram here.

“We took the decision after careful consideration, to avoid the bitter experiences we had earlier,” said Shreyams Kumar. “We decided to merge with RJD, which never wants to compromise with communal parties in any way. Each member of the party (LJD) supported the decision. Merging of socialists was each party member's dream. Joining with RJD is the first step toward that,” Kumar said.

Yadav said that the merger will help the consolidation of other socialist parties too. “While BJP is trying to suppress the opposition parties throughout the country, we have risen to the situation. It's a new hope for democratic parties that we have expelled BJP from the government and gained power,” he said.

RJD secretary general Abdul Baari Sidheequi, RJD Rajya Sabha leader Manoj Jha, Dr. Varghese George (LJD former National General Secretary) and LJD legislative party leader KP Mohanan also attended.s

More than 7,000 LJD workers from throughout the state attended the event. While LJD has always had a stable support in the state, RJD has not had even a single unit or support group until now. With the merger, RJD has become a constituent of the state-ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). On the other hand, the LJD team has returned to national politics.

Sharad Yadav and the late MP Veerendra Kumar, father of Shreyams Kumar, had formed LJD in 2018 after splitting from Janata Dal United led by Nitish Kumar, over his decision to join with BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).