Sharad Yadav supporters launch Loktantrik Janata Dal

New Delhi :  The Janata Dal-United rebels led by former Union Minister Sharad Yadav on Friday formally launched the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) here, party leaders said.

“The LJD was formally launched today (Friday) at a function in the Talkatora Stadium after the Election Commission approved the name,” party leader Arun Srivastava told IANS.

Srivastava said that a former Rajasthan Minister Fateh Singh, an eight-time MLA, has been made the new party’s national President.

He said that the need to float the new party arose as the matter relating to the JD-U was pending in court.

Srivastava said that the JD-U leaders who backed Sharad Yadav needed a party to contest elections. Thus, the new party was floated.

On November 17, 2017, the Election Commission recognised the Nitish Kumar-led group as the real JD-U, rejecting the claim of rebel leader Sharad Yadav and his supporters.

The JD-U was divided last year over Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s decision to switch over to the National Democratic Alliance after breaking from the Grand Alliance comprising the JD-U, Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress.

The Sharad Yadav faction approached the Election Commission to contend that it was the real JD-U and not the one led by Nitish Kumar.

About whether Yadav and other senior leaders will join the LJD, Srivastava said that the decision will be taken on the basis of the court case verdict.

Published on: May 18, 2018 at 22:13 IST

IANS