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JD swallows Bihar Vikas Party

The Bihar Vikas Party has merged with the Janata Dal.

The union, to build a 'third force', was formalised at an impressive function in Patna, starring former prime minister Deve Gowda, Janata Dal president Sharad Yadav, former Union ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and C M Ibrahim, and Bihar Vikas Party president Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav.

The JD and BVP leaders said the emergence of a viable third force was needed 'to counter the misrule of the Rabri Devi government in Bihar and to create a nation-wide mass awakening against the Centre's failure on almost all fronts'.

Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition at the Centre for its ineffectiveness, Deve Gowda said it was a "shame" that the country had such a government.

Addressing the merger meeting, Deve Gowda said, "I feel sorry to say that during the past seven months, except for the nuclear explosion in Pokhran, the government has not done anything."

He added, "The government was only keen on foreign affairs and making friendship with neighbouring countries."

The BJP slogan 'An able PM and stable government' has turned out to be a fiasco, he said.

Deve Gowda assured Pappu Yadav, 'the able leader of Bihar', a place in the JD.

UNI

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