NEW DELHI: RLD aims to expand beyond Uttar Pradesh, contesting elections in Jammu & Kashmir and Jharkhand while addressing key local issues.
After skipping its core voter base in Haryana that largely consists of farmers and Jats of Western Uttar Pradesh, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) led by Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary, is now making inroads into Jammu & Kashmir and Jharkhand. Party sources confirmed that they are also planning to contest in the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and the talks have begun. The party’s general secretary Trilok Tyagi said that they already have a base in Jammu & Kashmir and primarily they will focus on the Kashmir Valley.
Tyagi, who is on an official visit to the union territory and is reviewing the poll preparations, added that the youth, farmers and the people living in the rural areas of have always been at the forefront of sufferings due to political instability, terrorism and unemployment. He added that RLD will campaign on issues such as farmers’ distress, unemployment and development in rural areas, but refused to comment on any alliance with BJP.
The party is planning to field as many as 12-14 candidates, including 10-12 in Kashmir Valley and two in Jammu. It has declared candidates in Baramulla, Hazratbal, Pattan and Ganderbal and is at its final stage to field more candidates before the nominations close.
Ahemad Fayaz, a senior political analyst based in Jammu & Kashmir said that although the party is unlikely to make a huge impact here, it will not be a cakewalk for the regional parties as it is for the first time that RLD is contesting, and they may potentially secure some votes and establish their presence.
RLD prepares for Jharkhand Assembly elections
Similarly, as Assembly elections in Jharkhand approach, RLD is making preparations to at least file a dozen of candidates. Party sources said that they are making the final preparations but maintained silence on any alliance with BJP, which is the main opposition party there.
Veteran BJP leader Laxmikant Vajpayee, who is the organisation in-charge of Jharkhand, said, “We have an alliance with JDU and AJSU here but as of now I don’t want to comment anything specific on any alliance with RLD. Naturally, we are all one as we are a part of NDA.”
RLD insiders said that they aim to expand their presence in other states and do not want to be perceived as only relevant in Uttar Pradesh. They were also keen to contest in Haryana Assembly elections, but they had to give up this demand under BJP’s pressure which has decided to contest alone.
In 2019 Jharkhand Assembly Elections, BJP won 25 seats out of a total of 81, while JMM emerged at the top with 30 seats while Congress got 16. RLD had to face a bitter defeat at the hands of BJP in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and 2017 UP Assembly elections. Its fortunes had later improved after it sided with Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party in 2022 and even won nine seats.
However, in 2023 it lost the state party recognition which is granted by the Election Commission of India. Later, as there were disagreements between RLD and I.N.D.I.A. bloc, Jayant Chaudhary who earlier refused to make ties with BJP, reversed its stance after the saffron party announced Bharat Ratna for his grandfather and former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh.