Janata Dal (United)
जनता दल - एकत्र |
|
---|---|
Abbreviation | JD(U) |
Leader | Nitish Kumar |
President | Nitish Kumar |
Secretary-General | K.C. Tyagi |
Lok Sabha leader | Kaushalendra Kumar |
Rajya Sabha leader | Sharad Yadav |
Founded | 30 October 2003 |
Headquarters | 7, Jantar Mantar Road, New Delhi, India-110001 |
Ideology |
Secularism Socialism |
Political position | Centre |
ECI Status | State Party |
Alliance |
NDA (2003-2013) Janata Parivar (2015-present) |
National convener | Nitish Kumar |
Seats in Lok Sabha |
2 / 545
|
Seats in Rajya Sabha |
10 / 245
|
Election symbol | |
Website | |
[2] | |
Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) is a centre-left Indian political party with political presence mainly in Bihar and Jharkhand. The Janata Dal (United) was formed with the merger of the Sharad Yadav faction of the Janata Dal, the Lokshakti Party and the Samta Party on 30 October 2003. Janata Dal (United)'s party mentor and patron is the veteran socialist leader George Fernandes.
The Janata Dal (United)'s origins go back to before the 1999 General Election. A faction led by then Chief Minister of Karnataka J. H. Patel had lent support to the National Democratic Alliance, leading to the split in the Janata Dal leading to the formation of Janata Dal (Secular) under H. D. Deve Gowda, who wanted to remain equidistant from both national parties; and Janata Dal under Sharad Yadav.
The Janata Dal (United) was formed with the merger of the Sharad Yadav faction of the Janata Dal, the Lokshakti Party and the Samata Party. On 30 October 2003, the Samata Party led by George Fernandes and Nitish Kumar merged with the Janata Dal. The merged entity was called Janata Dal (United) with the arrow symbol of Janata Dal (United) and the green and white flag of the Samata Party. The uniting force is believed to be common opposition to Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar especially after the RJD welcomed Samata Party rebels like Raghunath Jha into the party.
The JD(U) along with its alliance partner, the BJP defeated the RJD-led UPA government in Bihar in November 2005. The government is headed by JD(U) leader, Nitish Kumar and they continued to govern state. The alliance contested Indian general election, 2009 and won 32 seats. BJP won 12 while JD(U) won 20. JD(U) won 115 and BJP won 91 seats in Bihar Legislative Assembly election, 2010. Thus together holding 206 seats in 243 member Bihar Legislative Assembly.