NEW DELHI: After four polling phases, BJP enlists RLD to campaign in Eastern UP to appeal to farmers and boost electoral margins.
After the completion of four polling phases of Lok Sabha elections 2024, covering 39 seats of Western Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to use its ally, Rashtra Lok Dal (RLD) for campaigning and public rallies in the Eastern UP where there are negligible Jat voters.
Although the RLD historically has significant influence over the Jats of Western UP, the party does not have any cadre beyond the west. However, according to a senior leader close to Jayant Chaudhary (RLD chief), Jayant has been brought into the campaigning scene on this side of UP to appeal to the farmers.
Sources further added that Jayant’s grandfather and former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh in his time had given due representation to the Kurmi voters because of which the community still has a great regard for the RLD leadership. Another component of NDA, Apna Dal led by Anupriya Patel is however the principal party which is mainly supported by the Kurmi community in the region of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
A political observer in the eastern UP said, “Chaudhary Charan Singh was a farmers’ leader and worked for the farmers due which he rose in his political career as well. Now, the farmers movement to some extent is being represented by his grandson, Jayant Chaudhary. Thereby his participation in the public events of BJP is to show the symbolic presence in the Eastern UP where there is negligible Jat voters.
The saffron camp according to a BJP office bearer in UP doesn’t want to leave anything to chance, even if the top leadership thinks that they could win a particular seat, they would still want to ensure that the seat is won by bigger margin. And, the RLD is there to amplify the political impact of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Moreover, the talks in the upper leadership of BJP according to sources suggest that they feel there are a few seats in the Eastern UP where the opposition camp is building a strong presence against the BJP, where the fight is neck and neck in electoral battle and needs more attention from the BJP camp to win them.
The closely contested seats according to analysts are Jaunpur, Mohanlalganj, Kaushambi, Banda, Phulpur, Pratapgarh, Basti, Bhadohi, Maharajganj, Deoria, Ghosi, Bhansgaon, Ballia.
An analyst associated with the BJP party said, “Earlier, BJP was the clear winner and overwhelming majority of seats were safe. But one has to understand that UP is a fortress of BJP and any dent here would alter the mass perception towards the party. Therefore in order to keep their northern legacy intact, the BJP have to work hard not only retain all their seats but also increase their tally.”
Another political analyst said, “The top leadership is visiting the seats where they think that voters may sway away from them. The majority want to vote for the BJP but there are some MPs who are facing anti-incumbency. Since people want current PM Narendra Modi to come back, seeing him rallying and campaigning could consolidate our vote share.”