Samata Party is a political party, initially formed as an off-shoot of Janata Dal, in April , 1994, by eminent socialist, George Fernandes and Bihar’s strong leader, Nitish Kumar. Under charismatic leadership of George Fernandes, fully backed by, Nitish Kumar, the party soon acquired considerable influence in North India, particularly, Bihar, a state from where George Fernanrdes was continuously e
lected member of Lok Sabha, from 1977 to 2004 , first from Muzzafarpur and then Nalanda. In 2009, he was sent to Rajya Sabha against a vacant post, and he retired after a brief tenure. Here a word about George Fernandes, founder of Samata Party and also main spirit behind it. He was a rebel by birth and it was his father’s feudal ways against which he rebelled first at his home in Mangalore, in Karnataka. He would have none of the ways of his father and would take up the cause of labourers and cultivators, getting raw deal at the hands of the former. Eventually, contrary to the wishes of his father, he chartered his own course of life and first came over to Bangalore. He then shifted to Mumbai and ,over a period of time, became an unquestioned trade union leader of the city. A time came when a call from him could bring the city to a halt. At one time, he was heading the taxi men union, Dockyard union and several others. Eventually, at a young age in 1967, he fought Lok Sabha election against veteran Congress leader, known as uncrowned king of Bombay, S. He took up the cause of Taxi men early in 1963 and was jailed while fighting for their cause. The performance of Samata Party was rather dismal in 1995 Bihar assembly elections. It was a rude shock to Nitish Kumar, in particular who ,infact, wanted to resign his seat, which he had won. By - elections in some of Bihar assembly seats were held on October 11th 1996. It had by then entered into a lose alliance with the B.J.P. For by-elections, Samata got a quota of six seats, out of which it won from 4 seats. It was on 9th October, 96, when the present President, NKSingh, a retired IPS officer, with a distinguished career in CBI, was inducted in the party, by George Fernandes & Nitish Kumar , in a joint press conference, held in Patna. Things had improved for the party in 1996 Lok Sabha elections itself, which the party had fought in alliance with BJP. It won 8 seats, six in Bihar and one each in UP & Orissa. In 1998 elections, again fought in alliance with BJP, the party further consolidated its position by winning 12 seats, 10 from Bihar & 2 from U.P. This performance was repeated in 13th Lok Sabha elections, held in 1999. In 2000 Bihar state assembly elections, the party emerged as largest group along with its election partner, BJP. Nitish kumar , sworn in as Samata Party, CM had to resign, within 13 days, without facing vote of confidence in assembly. In it had the precedence of BJP Atal Behari’s 13-day government’ of 1996. Though, ultimately, the party spurned the move of merger with Janata Dal, headed by Sharad Yadav, and Lok Shakti, headed by Ram Krishna Hegde in early January, 2000, it succumbed to this temptation in October, 2003. According to understanding reached amongst top leaders, George Fernandes suddenly, announced the move to merge the party with Sharad Yadav’s faction , known as, J.D.(U). By then, Sharad Yadav had parted company with, first, Deve Gouda and then Lalu Yadav and was, therefore, in dire need then of support. He agreed this time, ( which he had declined at the time of earlier move for merger in early 2000) to surrender the post of party President in favour of veteran socialist, George fernandes. George Fernandes was to openly regret this move subsequently, calling it ‘greatest mistake of his life’. Be that what it may be, this time the merger move was opposed by MPs, BNMandal, Raghunath Jha, national executive member, NKSingh, and some legislators from Bihar. The matter was, eventually, heard by full bench of Election Commission of India, which, in its order dated 19th March, 2004, rejected the claim of merger and ruled in favour of existence of Samata Party, as separate party. The Commission also upheld the election of B.N.Mandal, on 18.01.2004, as the new President of Samata Party. In a highly shocking development to those owing allegiance to George Fernandes, the latter was removed from the post of party President of J.D.(U), and was replaced by Sharad Yadav. Ultimately, in a convention held in New Delhi, on 21st January, 2007, presided over by N.K.Singh., they, including former president of the party, Jaya Jaitly, decided to return to their fold ( Samata Party). Party President B.N.Mandal welcomed them back to the party. A resolution adopted on the eve attacked the UPA government for the nuclear deal, ‘suicide by farmers’, loopholes in National Rural Employment Guarentee Scheme, & creation‘ Sez’s, at the cost of farmers. Meeting at New Delhi on 21st August, 2007, the National Executive of the party, replaced B.N.Mandal by N.K.Singh, as new party President, which was endorsed by the National Council on 20th February, 2008. On being challenged by B.N.Mandal, the Election Commission ,ultimately, ordered on 1st Nov 2008, to hold organizational elections in the entire party. Following the elections, the newly National Council, in its meeting held at Patna, on 20th February, 2010, reelected N.K.Singh, as the party President, for a term of two years. Utter Pradesh
In Uttar Pradesh Sumit Sharma (Convener Of Uttar Pradesh), Thakur Arjun singh and Kunwar Vikash Uday Thakur are again restructuring the Samata Party
