In a move that could have major ramifications for the electoral undercurrents of the Jat-dominated Western Uttar Pradesh and adjoining areas, Chaudhary Jayant Singh – the leader of Rashtriya Lok Dal – dropped major hints that he is moving towards the National Democratic Alliance.
The RLD has traditionally allied with opposition parties such as the Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party or Samajwadi Party, and gets most of its political clout from the politically and economically strong Jat community in Western UP. RLD's move towards the NDA could make the electoral position of the saffron front even stronger in the upcoming general election.
In the previous general election, held in 2019, RLD was a key partner in the anti-BJP ‘Mahagathbandhan’ of Uttar Pradesh led by the BSP and SP. It mounted a strong challenge to the BJP-led NDA, but excluded Indian National Congress.
Again, in the UP assembly elections of 2022, RLD was a key constituent of the main opposition alliance led by the Samajwadi Party. The alliance won 125 out of the 403 seats in the UP Assembly, but was beaten by the NDA, which won 273 seats.
The SP-RLD alliance won 41 out of the 126 seats in Western UP in that election, partly because of the anti-BJP sentiment among the farmers in the region in the aftermath of the farmers agitation against agricultural reform bills passed by the Centre.
Announcing his intent to move towards the BJP, Jayant Chaudhary did not give any reason other than to point to the conferring of the Bharat Ratna – India’s highest civilian honor – to his grandfather and farmer leader Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Denying the allegation that he has been 'bought' by the BJP, he said the Congress, which remained in power for more than half a century, never thought of giving the honor to his grandfather.
“Today’s decision [on Bharat Ratna] has won my heart. There’s no question of buying me off,” he said.
He said the decision to move closer to the BJP did not amount to a betrayal of the sentiments of his core constituency of farmers, which had turned decidedly hostile to the saffron alliance during the agitation against farm reforms in 2020-21.
He said, by giving his grandfather the Bharat Ratna, the BJP government has indicated that it is capable of listening to, and solving, all the problems of the farmer community.
“There is no single step that can be taken to resolve all current problems and ensure that such problems don't recur,” Chaudhary said.
“This is an ongoing effort. [By conferring Bharat Ratna to Chaudhary Charan Singh] the government of India has demonstrated its intention, sincerity and dedication towards farmers, the working class and the rural areas. People can be assured that if any government can confer such a great honor to Chaudhary Charan Singh, it will also listen to the demands of the community for which he worked,” he added.
Meanwhile, his former ally and the chief of Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh Yadav, speculated that Chaudhary may have been threatened by the Centre with inquiries and investigations by central agencies such as Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation.
