NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 16: The much-delayed merger of the Samata Party and the Lok Shakti with the Janata Dal (United) has now been set a new date: January 6.This was decided at a meeting of the steering committee which is represented by the three parties today. The earlier date of December 22 for the process to be completed was not found to be convenient."Now there is enough time for us to send notices to the members of the three parties," steering committee members M Raghupathy and Mohan Prakash told reporters here.The meeting was attended among others by JD (U) chief Sharad Yadav, George Fernandes, Ramakrishna Hegde, Nitish Kumar and Ram Vilas Paswan.Prior to the January 6 meeting, the steering committee will meet on December 21 where the strategy for the coming Assembly elections in Bihar, Orissa and Haryana, and the panchayat elections in Karnataka would be discussed.On January 6, the merger conference would be preceded by meetings of the national councils of the respective parties.
