Patna, April 9: Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is eyeing the JDU's name, electoral symbol and flag once the Janata parivar parties merge.

Experts say this is within his grasp, but, expectedly, the ruling party is trying to stall the move. The Manjhi camp floated a front called Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) but has not launched any new party. The camp has now written to the Election Commission of India, citing provisions of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, to stake claim to the JDU's identity.

Patna High Court senior advocate Y.V. Giri said: "Manjhi or his camp can adopt the name of Janata Dal United only after fresh registration with Election Commission of India (ECI)."

"Last night, I sent a letter to the ECI, citing provisions in the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, which says that even a single MLA, who does not become part of the merger, can carry the party identity. I have requested them to allow us to carry the JDU's logo and flag," HAM spokesperson and Islampur MLA Rajiv Ranjan said.

But the ruling party claimed it would get the membership of all disgruntled MLAs quashed before any move to grab the party's name, symbol or flag. Parliamentary affairs minister Shravan Kumar said: "We will not allow them to take the party's symbol and flag. Who has authorised them to take such steps? Four of these MLAs have already lost their membership and several others are in the queue. We will soon move the Speaker's court to quash the membership of those who are into such activities."

Two days ago, Patna High Court had upheld the Speaker's decision to annul the membership of four rebel MLAs - Gyanendra Singh Gyanu, Niraj Kumar Bablu, Ravindra Rai and Rahul Sharma. Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary had disqualified them for anti-party activities. The four had moved the high court to challenge the order.

A source said JDU president Sharad Yadav would soon write to the ECI to freeze the party's symbol and flag and request it not to allot it to any other political party. On the condition of anonymity, a senior official in the office of the chief electoral officer here said: "The Manjhi camp MLAs can carry the JDU's name but it is at the ECI's discretion to allow them the symbol and flag. Once the merger takes place, no action can be taken against rebel MLAs. If the JDU wants to take any action, they can do it before the merger."

The Manjhi camp swung into action after chief minister Nitish Kumar held a meeting of the JDU legislature party at his 7 Circular Road residence on Wednesday night. Senior JDU leader and water resources minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary passed a resolution on the party's merger and all MLAs seconded it, after which they authorised Nitish and Sharad Yadav to take the final call on the merger.

The merger - of the JDU, RJD, SP, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular), Abhay Chautala's Indian National Lok Dal and the Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP) - is for all purposes a foregone conclusion. While Nitish declined to say when a formal announcement was likely, RJD chief Lalu Prasad had said yesterday that SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav would make the formal announcement on April 14.