JANATA DAL (UNITED)

Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), which translates to “People’s Party (United),” is an Indian political party primarily active in eastern and northeastern India. Recognized as a state party in Bihar and Manipur, JD(U) leads the government in Bihar and participates in the NDA coalition government in Manipur. In the 2024 Indian general election, JD(U) secured 12 seats, making it the seventh largest party in the Lok Sabha. The party is committed to promoting social justice and advancing the interests of marginalized communities.

JD(U) was established on October 30, 2003, through the merger of the Sharad Yadav faction of the Janata Dal, the Lok Shakti Party, and the Samata Party. However, the Election Commission of India did not accept the merger of the Samata Party. As a result, Brahmanand Mandal initially took on the role of president but was soon succeeded by Uday Mandal due to health issues. The party’s mentor and patron is the distinguished socialist leader George Fernandes. JD(U) remains a key member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Lok Sabha Elections:

Bihar Legislative Assembly:

In the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, JD(U) has had varying levels of success over the years. In the February 2005 12th Vidhan Sabha elections, the party contested 138 seats, winning 55 with 14.55% of the vote and 26.41% of the votes in the contested seats. In the October 2005 13th Vidhan Sabha elections, JD(U) contested 139 seats and won 88, securing 20.46% of the vote and 37.41% of the votes in the contested seats. During the 2010 14th Vidhan Sabha elections, the party contested 144 seats and won 115, achieving 22.58% of the vote and 38.77% of the votes in the contested seats. In the 2015 15th Vidhan Sabha elections, JD(U) contested 101 seats and won 71, garnering 16.8% of the vote and 40.65% of the votes in the contested seats. Finally, in the 2020 16th Vidhan Sabha elections, the party contested 115 seats and won 43, with 15.39% of the vote and 32.83% of the votes in the contested seats.

Jharkhand Legislative Assembly:

In the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly elections, JD(U) has experienced varying levels of success. In the 2005 2nd Vidhan Sabha elections, the party contested 18 seats and won 6, though specific vote percentages are not available. In the 2009 3rd Vidhan Sabha elections, JD(U) contested 14 seats and won 2, receiving 2.78% of the vote, with a total of 285,565 party votes. During the 2014 4th Vidhan Sabha elections, the party contested 11 seats but did not win any, securing just 0.96% of the vote and receiving 133,815 party votes. In the 2019 5th Vidhan Sabha elections, JD(U) contested 45 seats but failed to win any, obtaining 0.73% of the vote and garnering 110,120 party votes.

Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly:

In the 2019 Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections, JD(U) contested 14 seats and won 7, achieving 9.89% of the vote with a total of 61,324 party votes.

Manipur Legislative Assembly:

In the 2022 Manipur Legislative Assembly elections, JD(U) contested 38 seats and won 6, securing 10.77% of the vote and receiving a total of 200,100 party votes.

Formation:

The origins of Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) trace back to the period before the 1999 General Election. A faction led by J. H. Patel, then Chief Minister of Karnataka, supported the National Democratic Alliance, resulting in a split within the Janata Dal. This division led to the formation of Janata Dal (Secular) under H. D. Deve Gowda, who aimed to maintain a neutral stance between the major national parties, and the Janata Dal (United) under Sharad Yadav.

JD(U) was officially established on October 30, 2003, through the merger of Sharad Yadav’s Janata Dal faction, the Lok Shakti, and the Samata Party. The merger brought together the Janata Dal (United) and the Samata Party’s green and white flag, while retaining the arrow symbol of Janata Dal (United). This consolidation was largely driven by a shared opposition to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar, especially after RJD welcomed former Samata Party members like Raghunath Jha into its fold.

NDA:

JD(U) joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and, with its partner BJP, successfully defeated the RJD-led UPA government in Bihar in November 2005. As a result, Nitish Kumar, a JD(U) leader, became the Chief Minister, and the NDA continued to govern the state. In the 2009 Indian general election, the NDA alliance secured 32 seats, with BJP winning 12 and JD(U) winning 20.

In the 2010 Bihar Legislative Assembly election, JD(U) won 115 seats, while BJP won 91, collectively holding 206 out of 243 seats in the Bihar Legislative Assembly.

OUT OF NDA:

JD(U) ended its 17-year alliance with the BJP in Bihar in June 2013, protesting the elevation of Narendra Modi as the head of the BJP‘s election campaign committee for the 2014 Indian general election. JD(U) President Sharad Yadav and then Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced the dissolution of their coalition at a press conference on June 16, 2013, precisely one week after Modi was appointed as the BJP’s campaign committee chairman and later became the NDA’s prime ministerial candidate. Following this split, Sharad Yadav stepped down as the NDA convenor.

In the subsequent elections, JD(U) formed an alliance with the Communist Party of India but secured only two out of forty seats in Bihar, while the BJP-LJP alliance won 31 seats. Due to the poor performance, Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister, and Jitan Ram Manjhi was sworn in as his successor. On May 23, 2014, when the BJP demanded a trust vote in the Bihar Legislative Assembly to establish a majority, the RJD supported JD(U) to achieve the majority required.

The Mahagathbandhan:

The Mahagathbandhan, or Grand Alliance, was a significant political coalition in India aimed at consolidating various regional and national parties to present a united front against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies. Here’s a summary of the key events and developments related to this alliance:

1. Formation and Merger:

   – 29 December 2014: The Kerala-based Socialist Janata (Democratic) merged with the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), with its leader M.P. Veerendra Kumar joining the JD(U). This merger was a strategic move to enhance the JD(U)’s national presence, which had been predominantly confined to Bihar.

2. Grand Alliance Announcement:

– 14 April 2015: The JD(U), Janata Dal (Secular), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Indian National Lok Dal, Samajwadi Party (SP), and Samajwadi Janata Party announced their intention to merge into a new national Janata Parivar alliance. This was aimed at uniting various regional parties to challenge the BJP. However, this merger did not materialize as planned.

3. Disagreements and Electoral Outcomes:

   – The Samajwadi Party, dissatisfied with the seat-sharing arrangement in the Bihar elections, chose to contest separately rather than as part of the alliance.

   – 9 May 2015: Jitan Ram Manjhi was expelled from the JD(U) and subsequently founded the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) along with 17 other dissenting JD(U) MLAs.

4. 2015 Bihar Legislative Assembly Election:

   – The JD(U) formed an alliance with the RJD and Congress for the Bihar assembly elections. This alliance performed well, winning 178 out of 243 seats in the assembly. The JD(U) won 71 seats out of the 101 it contested, leading to Nitish Kumar’s reappointment as Chief Minister of Bihar.

5. Rajya Sabha Elections:

 – March 2016: During the biennial Rajya Sabha elections, the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) of Kerala allocated a seat to JD(U)’s M.P. Veerendra Kumar, despite JD(U) having only 2 MLAs in the Kerala Legislative Assembly. This reflected the strategic alliances and cross-party support in Indian politics.

Overall, the Mahagathbandhan represented a strategic attempt to unify opposition forces against the BJP, although internal disagreements and separate political interests often complicated the coalition’s effectiveness.

After 2020 Assembly Elections:

After the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) faced significant challenges and underwent several changes as it sought to rebuild and retain its core support base. Here’s an overview of the key developments during this period:

1. Electoral Setback:

   – 2020 Assembly Elections: The JD(U) experienced a notable decline in its performance, with its seats in the Bihar Legislative Assembly dropping from 75 in 2015 to just 43. This decline was attributed in part to the loss of support from its traditional voter base, particularly the Kushwaha and Kurmi castes.

2. Impact of Upendra Kushwaha’s Breakaway:

   – Upendra Kushwaha: Upendra Kushwaha, a prominent leader within the JD(U), had previously led a faction that became the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) after a split in JD(U) in 2013. The departure of Kushwaha and his supporters significantly impacted the JD(U)’s electoral prospects in several constituencies.

3. Organizational Changes:

   – In response to the electoral setback and to restore its appeal among its core vote base, the JD(U) undertook several organizational changes:

     – Leadership Changes: Ramchandra Prasad Singh was appointed as the national president of the JD(U), and Umesh Kushwaha was made the state president of Bihar.

     – Merger Efforts: The JD(U) attempted to integrate the RLSP back into the party. Following the merger, Upendra Kushwaha was made president of the JD(U) parliamentary board, reflecting the party’s strategy to consolidate its position.

4. Further Developments:

   – 20 February 2023: Upendra Kushwaha resigned from his position as president of the JD(U) parliamentary board and from his membership in the Bihar Legislative Council. He then formed a new party, the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, as a breakaway faction of the JD(U). This move marked another significant realignment in Bihar’s political landscape.

– Umesh Kushwaha: Despite the internal upheavals, Umesh Kushwaha was re-elected as the state chief of the JD(U) in November 2022, continuing his leadership role and aiming to stabilize and strengthen the party’s position in Bihar.

Overall, the JD(U) faced a turbulent period after the 2020 elections, marked by internal strife, leadership changes, and strategic realignments. The party’s efforts to regain its footing included both organizational restructuring and attempts to address the loss of key leaders and their factions.

2024 Elections:

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of India. Here’s a detailed look at the key developments:

1. Election Results:
   • Alliance and Seats: JD(U) contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janashakti Party (Ram Vilas). The JD(U) was allocated 16 seats in this alliance, compared to 17 seats for the BJP.
   • Performance: The JD(U) won 12 of the 16 seats it contested, contributing to the formation of the Third Modi government at the center. This success demonstrated that the JD(U) retained substantial political influence and support despite previous challenges.
2. Impact and Narrative Shift:
   • The election results marked a turnaround for the JD(U) and its leader, Nitish Kumar. Despite concerns about Kumar’s age and the lack of a clear next generation of leaders, the JD(U) managed to secure a notable performance, which countered the narrative that the party was weakening.
3. Support Base and Caste Dynamics:
   • Extremely Backward Castes: The JD(U)’s strong performance in constituencies dominated by Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs) highlighted its continued appeal among this voter base. This was a crucial factor in the party’s electoral success.
   • Leadership Appointments: To further consolidate its support among different caste groups, the JD(U) made strategic leadership appointments:
     • Dileshwar Kamait: Appointed as the leader of the JD(U) parliamentary party in the 18th Lok Sabha, Kamait is a member of the Extremely Backward Caste, reflecting the party’s focus on representing its core support base.
     • Sanjay Kumar Jha: Appointed as the leader of the parliamentary party in the Rajya Sabha after the 2024 elections, Jha’s appointment was part of the JD(U)’s strategy to strengthen its position in the upper house of Parliament.
4. Ministerial Positions:
   • Following the elections and the formation of the Third Modi government, Lalan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur from the JD(U) were inducted as union ministers. Their inclusion in the central government underscored the party’s continued influence and its role in the coalition government.

Overall, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were a significant moment for the JD(U), showcasing its resilience and strategic maneuvering in the face of previous setbacks. The party’s performance, coupled with key leadership appointments and ministerial positions, reaffirmed its relevance in Indian politics.