The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has dismissed speculation regarding its potential alliance with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The party’s president, Chaudhary Jayant Singh, is set to attend the upcoming third meeting of the Opposition coalition, the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), scheduled in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1.
Speculation about a possible alliance with the BJP was fueled by a recent meeting between RLD MLAs and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Additionally, Singh’s absence during the Rajya Sabha vote on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023—a bill opposed by members of the INDIA alliance—raised further questions.
RLD national spokesperson Anil Dubey emphasized, “Our leader will participate in the Opposition meeting in Mumbai. We are part of the Opposition bloc, and speculation about us aligning with the BJP is unfounded. Such rumors are disseminated by the ruling party to stir confusion.”
Regarding the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Dubey noted that the RLD is preparing to contest 12 out of the 80 parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh. “Preparation is in progress for these 12 Lok Sabha seats, with a final decision expected from our national president,” he added.
Dubey also minimized the significance of the MLAs’ meeting with Adityanath, stating, “It is natural for MLAs to meet the Chief Minister concerning development work in their constituencies. No speculation should arise from this meeting.”
The BJP has been courting the RLD, proposing a potential alliance as a “win-win deal” for both parties. This outreach appears to be a strategic response following electoral losses in western Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP lost seven out of ten chairperson seats in recent local body elections in the Muzaffarnagar district.
In the 2022 Assembly elections, the RLD, in collaboration with the Samajwadi Party, achieved victories in seven out of nine seats in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts. The party also secured the Khatauli Assembly seat from the BJP in a by-election last year.
