RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: BJP ally Rashtriya Lok Dal has decided not to contest the upcoming assembly polls in Haryana after discussions with the BJP. Instead, the party will contest from some seats in Maharashtra as well as Jammu and Kashmir.
The RLD, led by Jayant Chaudhary, has always based its politics on the farmers and the Jats of West UP. The party was very keen to make its presence felt in the elections in Haryana where there is a significant number of Jats and farmers, and it seemed so with speculations that the BJP will ally with smaller parties for better reach.
However, for now, the party has dropped its demand for seats in Haryana.
RLD leaders said that, instead, the party is looking at contesting 10 seats in J&K, whereas discussions are on for seats in Maharashtra. The party will also look at contesting seats in Jharkhand in the upcoming polls.
Sources in the BJP said that the RLD was willing to contest at least two seats in Haryana. The RLD has offered to give up a seat in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerapur in Bijnor, where RLD MLA Chandan Chauhan was elected MP from Bijnor Lok Sabha seat.
“We have to keep in mind the considerations of the alliance, and our discussions with the BJP have led JS to decide that we will not step in Haryana,” a senior RLD leader said.
“Our party has decided to contest in Jharkhand, J&K and Maharashtra, because the party has to expand its footprints,” the leader added.
The RLD, which was in alliance with the Congress and the Samajwadi Party in the last elections, had supported the wrestlers’ protests, too. The party switched sides to be part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Jayant has also lent his support to wrestler Vinesh Phogat who has recently joined the Congress party. Throughout the farmers as well as wrestlers’ protest, the party had stood by them.