Unease in SP over Janata Parivar

The Samajwadis are apparently apprehensive of the impact the merger will have on them even though Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, in all likelihood, will be leading the new formation

As the emergence of the Janata Parivar turns into reality, there is little rejoicing in the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh.

The Samajwadis are, apparently, apprehensive of the impact the merger will have on them even though Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, in all likelihood, will be leading the new formation.

“Though Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav will be leading the formation, we are worried about issues like the party’s name, flag and election symbol. Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are less than two years away and any change at this stage, could spell doom for us. Our flag, symbol ( cycle) and name are popular at the grassroots level and even a minor change could generate confusion at a huge scale,” said a senior SP leader. Another factor that is troubling the Samajwadis is the caste equation that is bound to be disturbed with the emergence of the Janata Parivar.

While Mr Lalu Yadav’s presence will serve to consolidate the Yadav base of the new formation, Mr Nitish Kumar is not likely to contribute much to the OBC vote base of the Samajwadis.

“Kurmis and Yadavs are socially not very compatible and conflict of interest is inevitable is the two leaderships come together. Kurmis, in any case, have been more comfortable with the BJP and the merger could push them further towards the BJP,” said a SP leader.

Besides, Mr Nitish Kumar has had long political innings in the NDA and his position in the new front could disturb the Muslim vote base of the Samajwadi Party as well as Rashtriya Janata Dal.

A sense of unease is also prevailing among the rank and file in the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Janata Dal ( United) over the symbol of the new formation.

“We have been told that the symbol would be the cycle which is the Samajwadi Party symbol. This will work against us in Bihar where the lantern ( RLD) and the arrow JD( U) are more popular. The new symbol will work against us in Bihar,” said a JD ( U) leader.

The symbol issue, meanwhile, is yet to be sorted out since apart from the SP, the Telegu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and the Jammu and Kashmir Panther’s Party ( JKPP), each of them registered state parties, have bicycle as their election symbol.

In 2012, the EC has ruled that the SP would retain its symbol in seats where there was no JKPP candidate, and JKPP would retain the cycle symbol where there was no SP candidate. However, if both parties fielded a candidate on a seat, neither would be allowed to contest on their original symbols and the EC would then allot free symbols to both.

The Samajwadis, however, are elated at the fact that the new front could earn them the much elusive national status since the votes of each of the constituents will now be added.

The six parties in the process of uniting include Janata Dal ( United), RJD, SP, INLD, Janata Dal ( Secular) and Samajwadi Janata Party.