New Delhi

SP is part of LDF government in Kerala: Amar Singh

NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Tuesday claimed to have become a part of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala following the decision of the State unit of the Janata Dal (Secular) to merge with it. While the JD(S) decision became public on Sunday, the formal announcement was made by SP general secretary Amar Singh here after a meeting with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leadership.

Briefing journalists, Mr. Amar Singh said that with the merger, the SP now had organisational network in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Kerala.

On his meeting with CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat along with party president Mulayam Singh, Mr. Amar Singh said: “We went to tell him that our party has joined the LDF and its government in Kerala.”

The JD(S) has one representative in the Lok Sabha — M.P. Veerendra Kumar — besides five legislators in Kerala, one of whom, Mathew T. Thomas, is the Transport Minister.

As to whether the LDF had accepted the SP’s entry into the coalition and the government — particularly given the open war of words last year between Mr. Veerendra Kumar and CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan last year — no answer was forthcoming.

Besides apprising Mr. Karat of the merger, the SP leadership also sought to use the meeting to dispel speculation about growing differences between the two parties.

According to Mr. Amar Singh, the SP continued to be one with the Left parties on inflation and the India-U.S. nuclear deal. “Our only difference is on the Women’s Reservation Bill in its present form and this is not a recent development.”

On the violence in Rajasthan over granting the Scheduled Tribe status to Gujjars, Mr. Amar Singh demanded the dismissal of the Vasundhara Raje government.

He alleged that he and Mr. Mulayam Singh were not allowed to go to the affected areas by the government.

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