Crisis in JD(U) Kerala unit as Sharad loyalist Veerendra Kumar decides to quit Rajya Sabha

JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Veerendra Kumar announced his resignation from Parliament on Wednesday. There are reports doing the rounds that the faction led by Veerendra Kumar could merge with the Janata Dal (Secular) and join the CPM-led LDF in Kerala

JD(U) Kerala MP Veerendra Kumar. (iemalayalam)

KERALA UNIT president of Janata Dal (United) M P Veerendra Kumar on Wednesday said that he will quit as Rajya Sabha member since he does not want to continue as MP of a party led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has now joined hands with the BJP.

Kumar, a Lok Sabha MP from Kozhikode in 1996 and 2004, told the media that “if required” the Kerala unit of the Sharad Yadav faction of JD(U) will revive the old Socialist Janata Democratic (SJD) party.

“I don’t wish to continue as a Rajya Sabha MP under the leadership of Nitish. I have conveyed this to him. The date of resignation is a technical one,” he said.

Story continues below this ad

Sheikh P Harris, secretary general of Kerala JD(U), told The Indian Express that the state committee will meet in the second week of December and discuss the issue of resuscitating SJD.

While there are reports that the party could merge with JD(S) of H D Deve Gowda, Harris denied any such possibility. “K Krishnankutty and C K Nanu of JD(S) have been in unofficial talks with Veerendra Kumar for some time. They want all Socialist factions to unite and join the CPI(M)-LDF (in Kerala),” he said. “We haven’t discussed officially but I can tell you that there is no chance our unit led by Kumar will merge with JD(S).”

Kumar launched SJD in 2010 after breaking away from JD (S). The SJD merged with the Nitish-led JD(U) after 2014 elections.

Kumar, who served as a Minister of State in the UPA-I, Wednesday said it was a “mistake” to merge SJD with JD(U), and that it would have been “better” to retain the old party.

Story continues below this ad

The JD(U) in Kerala is with the Congress-led UDF, and Kumar said they have “not taken a decision (yet) on quitting the UDF or joining the CPI (M)-led LDF”.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Taboola...

Adani group chief Gautam Adani. The regulator made it clear that none of the charges in the show-cause notice could be proved. It also confirmed there was no violation of the Sebi Act concerning fraudulent or unfair trade practices.

Clean chit for Adani: Sebi dismisses insider trading claims raised by Hindenburg

Business2 hr ago

Sebi clears Gautam Adani and Adani Group of all charges by Hindenburg Research. Allegations of insider trading and market manipulation proved unfounded. No violation of Sebi Act. Adani Group remains committed.

View all shorts

Live Blog