• Source:JND
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Opposition alliance INDIA may hit another roadblock as its key partner Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) might switch sides to join the BJP-led NDA ahead of high-stakes Lok Sabha polls. As per reports, RLD chief Jayant Choudhary is holding deliberations with the saffron party high command and the latter has offered him four Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.

If happens, this will be the second high-profile exit from the bloc after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar snubbed the Mahagathbandhan government in the state to rejoin NDA and form a fresh government.

RLD has a strong presence in western UP and its alliance with any party could be formidable for the Opposition. 

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Reacting to the development, RLD General Secretory Tiraspal Malik said speculations were indeed rife in this regard and they will follow the directions of their party chief. However, he did not categorically say that RLD was going with BJP.

Malik said there was contention between the RLD and Samajwadi Party (SP) over fielding the candidate from Muzaffarnagar Lok Sabha seat.

“Yes, such speculations are making the rounds. We will follow the directions of our leader. There is a contention over fielding candidate on Muzaffarnagar seat,” Malik told Jagran English.

As per reports, Akhilesh Yadav wants two of his leaders to contest on the RLD ticket in the latter’s strong bastion. RLD leaders, however, aren’t willing to broker a truce with this formula.

On the news of Jayant joining the BJP alliance, Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav said he knows the RLD chief well and BJP was using media to mislead people. "I know Jayant (Singh) very well. They are secular people. BJP is only misleading using the media. They (RLD) will remain in the INDIA alliance and defeat the BJP,” he said.   

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Notably, SP and RLD laid out a joint fight against the BJP in the 2022 Assembly polls. Contesting 33 seats, RLD won 9 Assembly segments. Days back, Akhilesh Yadav and Jayant Singh announced their alliance for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Polls. Yadav unilaterally declared candidates for 16 seats and proposed 11 for Congress. The grand old party said they were not taken into confidence before announcing the seat-sharing formula and this cannot be done by one side.