Describing RJD chief Lalu Prasad's announcement in favour of the merger of Janata Parivar splinter parties as "a solid and effective" step towards the process, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said a formal announcement will be made "much before the end of this month."
"All the constituent parties have made up their mind for the merger and the announcement will be made at a formal meeting to be convened by Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav soon," Mr Kumar told reporters while coming out of the Assembly.
Asked if the announcement would be made within this (April) month, Mr Kumar said, "Very soon a formal meeting will be called where the announcement will be made."
Asked when the formal meeting was expected, Mr Kumar said the SP chief was authorised to call the meeting and so he would not speak about the date. "But, keeping in view the availability of leaders, the meeting will be called soon," he said.
"We have rather travelled much ahead of it (taking decision in favour of the merger)," he added.
Hurrying up of the merger process was seen as an attempt by Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad to start preparations for the coming Bihar Assembly elections, which would be the first test of the move against the BJP.
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