The party favoured merger with Lok Shakti and Samata under one banner but remained sharply divided over the issue of joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

This was clear after a two-hour long meeting of Dal's political affairs committee on Tuesday evening with party president Sharad Yadav admitting "sharp division" among senior leaders on aligning with NDA. There was near unanimity among members for reunification of Dal's splinter groups like Lok Shakti and Samata party, he told repoters. On the possibility of a split in the party, Yadav said "there is a sharp division among members on NDA issue.Earlier in the day, the leaders discussed the strategy to give a final shape to the on-going efforts of uniting `Janata Parivar' under a new banner before going to Lok Sabha pollswith those heading splinter groups, the party sources disclosed.

Later, they went to the residence of RamaKrishna Hegde and had a long discussion over the issue of merger of like-minded parties such as Samata party and Lok Shakti. The meeting was also attended by George Fernandes and Nitish Kumar and Karnataka Chief Minister J H Patel, who mooted the idea of Dal aligning with NDA.

After the 90-minute long meeting, Patel told newspersons that consultations were on. "We may announce the merger of Lok Shakti-Samata Party-Janata Dal tomorrow," he said. ``Despite the brave pronouncements by party leadeers that there is no threat to Dal's unity over the merger line for ensuing Lok Sabha elections, all indications are there that it is heading for a split'' the party sources maintained. Karnataka will undoubtedly be the major stumbling block. While J H Patel is keen on electoral alliance with Lok Shakti, it is highly unlikely that senior Dal leader HD Deve Gowda will agree to join hands with his arch rival,Ramakrishna Hegde.