UP: RLD's Jayant Chaudhary Affirms Commitment To INDIA Bloc, SP's Shivpal Singh Accuses BJP Of Creating Confusion

Contesting speculation surrounding the potential alignment of Rashtriya Lok Dal's (RLD) Jayant Chaudhary with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Shivpal Singh Yadav accused the BJP of "creating confusion" and affirmed Chaudhary's commitment to remain with the INDIA bloc.

"BJP is creating the confusion"

"The BJP is doing the work of creating confusion. He (Jayant) is not going anywhere. He will remain with the INDIA bloc with full strength and will do the work of defeating the BJP " Yadav told reporters here on Wednesday. 

He emphasized that Chaudhary will stay within the INDIA bloc and contribute to defeating the BJP in the upcoming general elections, highlighting Chaudhary's secular disposition, "I know Jayant, he is a secular person."

Alliance between RLD and SP

The alliance between RLD and SP was announced on January 19 for the Lok Sabha polls, with SP President Akhilesh Yadav and RLD Chief Jayant Chaudhary confirming the partnership on social media platforms. 

SP leader Yadav congratulated the alliance, urging unity for victory. Chaudhary reiterated their commitment to uphold national and constitutional values, stressing collective progress and prosperity.

The RLD's traditional support base lies within the Jat population, indicating potential constituencies for their electoral focus. Key areas with significant Jat demographics include Muzaffarnagar, Kairana, Bijnor, Mathura, Baghpat, Amroha, and Meerut, suggesting potential seats for RLD's contestation.

In previous electoral endeavours, both parties collaborated in the 2022 assembly elections, with SP securing 111 seats and RLD winning 8 seats. 

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, RLD participated in the SP-BSP alliance but faced defeats in Mathura, Baghpat, and Muzaffarnagar seats. However, the SP supported Chaudhary's election bid despite RLD's insufficient strength to secure a Rajya Sabha seat.