LUCKNOW: With an aim to minimise BJP’s chances of coming to power in the state, Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal, JD(U) and BS-4 have decided to contest the upcoming UP elections in alliance. The announcement to this effect was made by the leaders of the three parties jointly here on Monday.
The alliance was firmed up by RLD chief Ajit Singh, JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav and BS-4’s Bachan Singh Yadav after Samajawadi Party refused to be a part of it. Instead SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had been harping on the merger of smaller players like JD(U) and RLD into it ahead of state elections-2017.
“We will contest on all 403 Assembly seats in UP. Talks are going on with other like-minded smaller parties in the state,” said the three alliance partners while addressing a joint press conference here.
Launching a broadside on SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for allegedly walking back on the tie-up, RLD supremo Ajit Singh accused him of having lost the path shown by Lohia and Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Wondering why the SP chief did not want an alliance against the communal forces in the state, Ajit Singh said: “In Bihar also, when we, all Lohia wadi and Ch Charan Singh wadi parties, decided to join hands under the leadership of Mulayam Singh Yadav but he took a step back. This time also he wants merger rather than alliance.”
Speaking on the issue, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav expressed his helplessness saying that Mulayam Singh wanted us to merge with SP. “We are ready for the merger but now the time for it is too short,” he added.
The SP supremo had recently ruled out any alliance for the UP Assembly polls, but had said mergers with his party could be considered.
On the possibility of Congress joining the alliance, Ajit Singh said, "No talks have been initiated with Congress in this regard."
Meanwhile, reacting to the charge of upsetting Grand Alliance prospects, levelled by these leaders on Mulayam Singh Yadav, SP vice-president Kironmoy Nanda exuded confidence that Samajwadis would form a majority government in the state again with Akhilesh as the party face in the fray.
Nanda said that the alliance would in no way affect SP prospects in the upcoming state elections and the charge on Netaji of walking back on his words was baseless.