15th Vidhan Sabha now for merger of parties

Three one-member political parties have merged with the BSP. This has brought down the total number of parties from 12 to 9, reports Umesh Raghuvanshi.

If 14th Vidhan Sabha created a record for large number of splits, mergers and disqualifications during its tenure the 15th House too is making a mark for merger of smaller political parties.

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So far three one-member political parties the Bharatiya Janshakti, the Akhil Bharatiya Loktantrik Congress and the Uttar Pradesh United Democratic Front have merged with the BSP. This has brought down the total number of parties from 12 to 9.

This also raises strength of BSP to 209.

Besides the BSP, SP, BJP, Congress and the RLD the parties that figure on the list of Vidhan Sabha now include Rashtriya Parivartan Dal, Janata Dal (United), Jan Morcha and Rashtriya Swabhiman Party. At least one more small party is in close touch with the BSP. Minister for PWD and Irrigation Naseemuddin Siddiqui however asserted that he was not aware of any such move.

Speaker Vidhan Sabha Sukhdev Rajbhar has recognised the merger. Speaker quoted amended provisions of 10th schedule while recognising the merger and said the merger could take place only with the support of two-third members of a political party. As these parties had only one member their merger in the BSP could be recognised.