Janata Dal (JDU) is a political party

Political party

A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...

 in India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 with political presence mainly in Bihar

Bihar

Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....

 and Jharkhand

Jharkhand

Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...

. Janta Dal (United) party mentor and patron is "Veteran Socialist leader" George Fernandes

George Fernandes

George Mathew Fernandes is an Indian trade unionist, politician, journalist, agriculturist, and member of Rajya Sabha from Bihar. He is a key member of the Janata Dal , and was the founder of the Samata Party...

; George Fernandes

George Fernandes

George Mathew Fernandes is an Indian trade unionist, politician, journalist, agriculturist, and member of Rajya Sabha from Bihar. He is a key member of the Janata Dal , and was the founder of the Samata Party...

 broke away from the erstwhile Janata Dal and formed the Samata Party

Samata Party

The Samata Party is a political party in India. Initially formed as an offshoot of the Janata Dal in 1994 by Nitish Kumar and George Fernandes. The reason given was that the Janata Dal had shifted to casteism...

 in 1994. Presently it is led by Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumār is an Indian politician currently serving as Chief Minister of Bihar, an eastern state of India. He leads the Janata Dal party...

. The current party was formed by the merger of the erstwhile Janata Dal (United) with the Samata Party

Samata Party

The Samata Party is a political party in India. Initially formed as an offshoot of the Janata Dal in 1994 by Nitish Kumar and George Fernandes. The reason given was that the Janata Dal had shifted to casteism...

 on October 30, 2003. The uniting force is believed to be common opposition to Rashtriya Janata Dal

Rashtriya Janata Dal

The Rashtriya Janata Dal is a political party in India, based in the state of Bihar. The party was founded in 1997 by Laloo Prasad Yadav. The party came about as a result of Lalu Prasad Yadav, ex-president of Janata Dal, being evicted by Sharad Yadav, the then president, on corruption charges ...

 in Bihar

Bihar

Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....

 especially after the RJD welcomed Samata Party rebels like Raghunath Jha

Raghunath Jha

Raghunath Jha was Union minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise and member of the 14th Lok Sabha of India. He represented the Bettiah constituency of Bihar and is a member of the Rashtriya Janata Dal political party...

 into the party. Janata Dal (United) is a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance

National Democratic Alliance (India)

The National Democratic Alliance is a centre-right coalition of political parties in India. At the time of its formation in 1998, it was led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and had thirteen constituent parties. Its convenor is Sharad Yadav, and its honorary chairman is former prime minister Atal...

.

The Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal

Rashtriya Janata Dal

The Rashtriya Janata Dal is a political party in India, based in the state of Bihar. The party was founded in 1997 by Laloo Prasad Yadav. The party came about as a result of Lalu Prasad Yadav, ex-president of Janata Dal, being evicted by Sharad Yadav, the then president, on corruption charges ...

 -- bitter political opponents today—originate from the same Janata Dal

Janata Dal

Janata Dal is an Indian political party which was formed through the merger of Janata Party factions, the Lok Dal, Congress, and the Jan Morcha led by V. P...

 and Jayaprakash Narayan

Jayaprakash Narayan

Jayaprakash Narayan , widely known as JP Narayan, Jayaprakash, or Loknayak, was an Indian independence activist and political leader, remembered especially for leading the opposition to Indira Gandhi in the 1970s and for giving a call for peaceful Total Revolution...

's call for a program of social transformation which he termed Sampoorna kraanthi or Total Revolution after Indira Gandhi was found guilty of violating electoral laws by the Allahabad High Court in 1974.

Currently, the JD(U) heads the government in Bihar. 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

Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumār is an Indian politician currently serving as Chief Minister of Bihar, an eastern state of India. He leads the Janata Dal party...

.
In the recent Karnataka elections, it contested 71 seats but failed to win any seat.

Party finance

JD(U) income has grown about six times in five years but on a small base.

• 2002-03:
• 2003-04:
• 2004-05:
• 2005-06:
• 2006-07:

The expenditure in 2006-07 was mostly on election and meeting establishment expenses.

• Election costs: Rs 97 lakh
• Establishment costs: Rs 11 lakh

As per UTVI information assets of the party were -

• 2002-03:
• 2003-04:
• 2004-05:
• 2005-06:
• 2006-07:

External links

• Article from the Hindu on the merger