LUCKNOW: The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Samajwadi Party (SP) are moving closer to what appears to be a pre-poll alliance between the two political parties ahead of 2022 Uttar Pradesh (UP) assembly elections. RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary on Monday said that his party will share the stage with the SP in a mega rally to be held in Meerut tomorrow. Last, the two parties had shared a common platform during the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.
Earlier, the RLD leader had met former UP Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on November 23. Yadav had even tweeted a picture of the two from the meeting.
श्री जयंत चौधरी जी के साथ बदलाव की ओर pic.twitter.com/iwJe8Onuy6
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) November 23, 2021
Taking a swipe at the BJP government Chaudhary said, “People want to see a better option. In the current situation, what we have is a failed ‘double-engine’ government. People are opposing it.”
Sharing details of the November 23 meeting with Yadav, Chaudhary said that the party workers are happy that an alliance has been forged and a message has been sent out.
“We have a tradition that decisions are not taken behind closed doors, discussions are held in the public. We will share the details in our message on December 7,” he added.
Yadav had also hinted at an alliance with the RLD earlier, and said the details on seat sharing will be revealed soon. With this joint public rally, the regional parties are making an attempt to break the juggernaut of the BJP in western UP. SP is seeking to make a comeback in the coming polls.
बढ़ते कदम! pic.twitter.com/NqYFSz4MV1
— Jayant Singh (@jayantrld) November 23, 2021
Having suffered a setback after the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 but revived by the ongoing farmers’ movement in western UP, the RLD is looking to strengthen itself on its home ground. Chaudhary has been addressing several ‘kisan mahapanchayats’ in a bid to revive his support base in the last one year. He has also been organising a series of ‘Parivartan Sandesh Yatras’.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who assumed the charge of western UP last month, is also trying to connect with the people.
The elections for the 403 member assembly are scheduled to be held early next year. In the 2017 elections, BJP had won 313 seats.