New Delhi: Six parties from the erstwhile Janata Parivar merged on Wednesday under the leadership of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, reports Times of India.

The development comes ahead of Bihar assembly elections slated later this year and the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

Leaders from the parties met at Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh's Delhi residence.

The six parties, apart from the SP, are Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Janata Dal-Secular JD-S) and Samajwadi Janata Party-Rashtriya (SJP-R).

The meeting comes ahead of the Bihar assembly polls scheduled for later this year.

Sources said in the meeting, the group will endorse Nitish Kumar as the merged entity's chief ministerial candidate for Bihar.