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," Kumar told reporters while coming out of the Assembly.

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," Kumar told reporters while coming out of the Assembly.
Asked if the announcement would be made within this (April) month, Kumar said, "Very soon a formal meeting will be called where the announcement will be made." Kumar, a prime mover of the merger process of the splinter parties into Janata Parivar, said he met Mulayam Singh Yadav who was authorised to oversee the unification process, and also JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav in this regard in Delhi before coming here in the today.

Asked when the formal meeting was expected, 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. Asked about the decision of JD(U) on the merger, Kumar said the party has expressed willingness in its favour much earlier.

 RJD chief Lalu Prasad and JD(U) leader Jagdish Sharma have been disqualified as Lok Sabha members following their conviction in the fodder scam.

While Prasad stands disqualified for a total of 11 years — five years of jail term and six years subsequent to his release, Sharma stands disqualified for ten years — four years in jail and six more years after that as per electoral laws.

Theirs is the first disqualification from the Lok Sabha after the Supreme Court struck down a provision that protects a convicted lawmaker from disqualification on the ground of pendency of appeal in higher courts.

The first disqualification from Parliament came on Sunday when 66-year-old Masood, a Congress member of the Rajya Sabha, was held guilty in a case of corruption and other offences in September.

Lok Sabha Secretary General S. Bal Shekar has issued the notifications disqualifying Lalu and Sharma. The Election Commission has also been intimated about the disqualification and the subsequent creation of vacancies in the Lok Sabha.

Their disqualification came on Sunday night after Rajya Sabha disqualified Congress MP Rashid Masood earlier on Sunday after his conviction in a graft case.

65-year-old Prasad, convicted in the fodder scam, was sentenced to five years in prison and imposed with a fine of Rs. 25 lakh. He was till now an MP from Saran in Bihar.

Sharma (63) too was sentenced to four years imprisonment in the case. He represented Jahanabad in Bihar.

The Rajya Sabha notification said Masood stands disqualified as an MP from September 19, the day he was convicted by the CBI court.

Citing provisions of the Representation of the People Act, it said he will remain disqualified for the period of his sentence and will continue to remain disqualified for a further period of six years after his release.