Bangalore: The formation of a new all India Party 'Akhila Bharata Janata Dal' comprising state Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and some Janata Dal -Secular (JD-S) leaders was announced on December 11 by senior leader S R Bommai.

The new outfit was announced under a formula hammered out by Bommai to bring both JD- U and JD-S together.

Senior leaders of state JD-U were present at the announcement, barring some JD-S leaders, including Karnataka unit president Siddaramaiah, who stayed away.

Bommai said he was confident that "wiser counsel" would prevail upon those who had stayed away and they too would join the new outfit, which would keep "equi-distance" from both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as the Congress.

Asked about the absence of most JD-S leaders, Bommai said, "The doors of the new Party are open to them."

Since the JD-U had not come out of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the national level, there were "some technical difficulties" which had prompted them to form a new Party, he said.

Asked about reservations of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda over his formula, Bommai said he was "still confident that he will join us".

Bommai said he spoke to Siddaramaiah and invited him for the function. The JD-S had called a state executive committee meeting on December 12 where it was expected to take a decision on joining the new Party, he said.

He said the new Party would take birth in January at a convention to be held in Bangalore.

Bommai said he has formed a committee to write the Constitution for the new Party and to decide on its flag and symbol and fulfil other formalities. The committee would submit its report within a month.

He evaded reply to a question whether he had consulted JD-U national president and Union Minister Sharad Yadav.

The new Party, Bommai said, would have no truck with NDA and would emerge as an alternative to both the BJP and the Congress. It would be wedded to the philosophy of Jayaprakash Narain and respect "secular values".

JD-U national vice president and liquor baron Vijay Mallya, Karnataka unit president C Byregowda, Party leader in the Assembly P G R Sindhia and senior leaders M P Prakash and K N Nagegowda were among those present. H N Nanjegowda and K H Srinivas were the only two JD-S leaders who attended. M C Nanaiah and Jayaprakash Hegde, former ministers, who call themselves as Janata Dal (Neutral) were also present.

PTI