- RLD demands 36 seats for upcoming UP Assembly elections.
- BJP reluctant to give RLD seats in Purvanchal region.
- RLD aims to expand beyond Jat-farmer identity.
Bharatiya Janata Party has started its preparations for next year's assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, and the initial challenge for it is to keep the small regional alliance partners intact and their aspirations in check, as ambitions of small parties have traditionally been a contentious issue for the major parties.
The Rashtriya Lok Dal, which has influence in several western districts, has intensified its electoral campaign. While the party is busy engaging the entire community through more than half a dozen conferences, it has presented the BJP with a list of 36 assembly seats. This includes several seats where the BJP has struggled.
RLD could clinch 20 seats
Political analysts say that the RLD could manage to win 20 seats in the alliance. However, the BJP will likely avoid giving seats to the RLD in Purvanchal. This could be a setback for those preparing to contest elections from Awadh and Purvanchal.
RLD officials say that the party had demanded 50 seats from the Samajwadi Party in 2022, but settled on 33. Several Samajwadi Party candidates were fielded on RLD tickets. In the last election, RLD achieved its greatest success in Muzaffarnagar district. In the Khatauli by-election, Madan Bhaiya, on an RLD ticket, dealt a major blow to BJP by defeating its candidate.
The number of RLD MLAs reached nine in 2022. However, in 2024, RLD National President Jayant Chaudhary joined forces with the BJP. The alliance resulted in Rajkumar Sangwan winning from Baghpat and Chandan Chauhan from Bijnor on RLD tickets. Jayant Chaudhary also became a Union Minister.
What RLD aims
The party is now focused on breaking free from the identity and political outfit exclusively for Jats and farmers. The party is aiming to unite all sections of society, for which it is holding public meetings in western and central Uttar Pradesh, as well as the Bundelkhand region.
Anil Kumar, the RLD MLA from Purkaji and a Dalit figure, was appointed a cabinet minister in the Yogi government.
Seats RLD eyeing to contest
In view of the upcoming assembly elections, the RLD is eyeing two seats in Meerut: Siwalkhas, Kithore, and one of Sardhana. The RLD has also sought Modinagar, where the son of senior leader KC Tyagi could be given the opportunity to launch his electoral campaign.
The party has specifically staked its claim on Bulandshahr city, Maant and Chhata in Mathura, Khair and Iglas in Aligarh, Chandpur and Nahtaur in Bijnor, Nauganwa in Amroha, and Khatauli in Muzaffarnagar, leaving out Purkaji, Meerapur, and Budhana. The RLD is also planning to strengthen its alliance by fielding Muslim candidates in two to three seats.