JD(S)-Samata merger not `at this stage’ — Paswan

BANGALORE, MARCH 28: Janata Dal-U leader Ram Vilas Paswan said here on Monday the issue of his party’s merger with Samata Party was not under consideration `at this stage’ but did not totally rule out the possibility of merger.

`I can’t say at this stage’, Paswan told reporters when asked if there was any possibility of merger of JD-U and Samata. JDU spokesman M Raghupathy who was sitting next to him said, "Samata went back on the merger issue….now it is for them to…." but Paswan intervened before the former completed the sentence and said: "Now we would like to know the feelings of the party’s rank and file (on the merger issue)".

Paswan, who is the Union Communications Minister, said the issue of merger of the two parties was not under consideration at this stage. "We will concentrate on strengthening our party," he remarked.

Raghupathy said the merger was "not on the cards and there is no move (from both sides)". He said the JD-U would take up at NDA meeting the issue of hike in price of kerosene and LPG and would put `pressure’ on the Government. Asked if the JD-U wanted the hike to be rolled back, both Paswan and Raghupathy did not give a direct reply, only saying the issue would be taken up at the NDA meeting.