2022 UP Assembly Elections: RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary Fights UP Polls With Samajwadi Party
New Delhi:
Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary has expressed concern over what he claimed is blurring the lines between the state and the party, which he says cannot be the same, referring to the BJP’s rule in Uttar Pradesh.
“There is massive abuse by the government. Teachers are forced to attend meetings and they are sent by the busloads. I have been told that this time there will be massive abuse of the ballot papers. ,” Mr Chaudhary told DailyExpertNews in an interview today.
“Jawans have also told me that they are made to vote under the supervision of their seniors. This is going to happen again,” said 43-year-old Rashtriya Lok Dal, or RLD, head.
The BJP is making a new strategy to consolidate the crucial Jat vote in the west of the UP that had brought it to power in the last three elections – one in the national and one in the state. However, Mr Chaudhary’s RLD this time has partnered with former Prime Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi party.
For the past year, the Jats had turned against the BJP after a lengthy protest against the now-repealed controversial agricultural laws. Now, more than ever, they are rallying behind the RLD leader.
Mr Chaudhary said there was a change in the mood of farmers when their leader, Rakesh Tikait, became emotional and started crying during the protest against agricultural laws. “That moved people, it moved us all – my father, me, the community in general. That is a defining moment. We can bicker or fight among ourselves, but in times like these we all come together,” he said.
“I have made a very deliberate decision to form an alliance with the Samajwadi party and I will stick to it,” Chaudhary said.
“The BJP will not change – their entire campaign is based on mandir-masjid politics, building Ram temple, Jinnah, etc. The BJP doesn’t care about the 20 percent. Who are these 20 percent? According to their rhetoric, these are the 20 percent who cheer for Pakistan, are happy to see India not doing well in a situation, burst into tears when something bad happens to the BJP. So this is like the BJP’s dog whistle,” he said. the RLD leader to DailyExpertNews.
The BJP hopes to take advantage of the recent troubles within the RLD and is counting on the party to consider a reshuffle. In recent weeks, Jats in the Meerut belt have been deeply upset about some seats that went to the candidates of the Samajwadi party. In recent weeks there have been loud protests in Siwalkhas, Sardhana and Hastinapur as lists of alliance candidates were released.
Similar problems are brewing in Muzaffarnagar, where the alliance has decided not to call on Muslims in order to keep the Muslim voice intact. The area had about 40 percent Muslim population.
By 2017, the BJP had won all six assembly seats in Muzaffarnagar district.
