Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary has confirmed that he will be joining the alliance with the BJP in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming general elections. “How can I refuse now”, Chaudhary stated, hours after the government announced Bharat Ratna for former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Chaudhary Charan Singh was Jayant Chaudhary’s grandfather. After Karpoori Thakur and LK Advani, today Bharat Ratna was announced for 2 former Prime Ministers, PV Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, along with scientist MS Swaminathan.
Speaking to the media, Jayant Chaudhary stated that PM Modi’s government did what no other party could.
#WATCH | When asked if he is ready to join hands with BJP-NDA, RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary says, "Koi kasar rehti hai? Aaj main kis muh se inkaar karoon aapke sawalon ko." pic.twitter.com/6dTo21wzk6
— ANI (@ANI) February 9, 2024
“Talking about seats or votes will make this day less important when I am being congratulated and PM Modi has given a decision which proves he understands the basic sentiments and character of the nation,” Jayant Chaudhary added when asked details about his party’s imminent alliance in UP.
RLD has its influence in Western Uttar Pradesh among the jat community. As reported by India Today, RLD may get to contest 2 Lok Sabha seats and a Rajya Sabha set as per understanding with the BJP.
Jayant Chaudhary joining NDA is a big setback for the I.N.D.I.Alliance because recently Akhilesh Yadav had mentioned about letting RLD contest 7 seats.
RLD and SP had an alliance in the 2019 general elections. However, RLD lost all the 3 seats it contested and SP won only 5 seats. In the 2022 UP assembly elections, while BJP secured a brute majority, SP won 111 of the 347 seats it contested and RLD won 9 of the 33 seats it had contested in.
