RLD sows seeds of opposition to Akhilesh Yadav govt’s ‘misrule’

“Bypolls tell us the popular mood, and when they are held so close to the Assembly elections, they become even more important,” Chaudhary told The Indian Express. “I can sense the mood of the people – they are not satisfied with the government’s performance.” He said there is total breakdown of governance on many issues.

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Accompanied by Munna Singh Chauhan, who is also RLD’s state unit president, and party leader Dr Masood, Chaudhary went to nearly two dozen places through his roadshow, and was welcomed by hundreds of villagers.

Slamming the Chief Minister, he said the people are fed up with the state government, which has failed to fulfill its promises.

Farmers being a core support base for the party, Chaudhary told the villagers, “Sugarcane farmers have especially suffered a lot, as cane prices have not been increased for three years. There is a provision to take over mills by the government if they fail to clear dues (to farmers), but the government did nothing. It is a major issue for us.”

During his brief roadside halts, the former Lok Sabha MP reminded villagers about the state government’s “negligence” in handling farmers’ issues. “Prices of all crops have gone down, making it a struggle for farmers to survive. There is no respite from this state government,” he said.

Chaudhary was scheduled to stay in Faizabad on Thursday night and lead a roadshow in Masaudha block of Bikapur constituency on Friday. “We understand that the government machinery is misused in bypolls, but we are trying (our best) and the people’s mood is in our favour,” he said.

About Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav’s recent assertion, that his party is trying to stitch together an alliance in Uttar Pradesh on the lines of Bihar’s grand alliance ahead of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh next year, Chaudhary said, “We have started the process and talks are on. We hope to give a credible alternative to the people.”

After the roadshow on Friday, Chaudhary will head for Muzaffarnagar, where RLD is contesting the bypolls. Party president and Chaudhary’s father Ajit Singh is expected to address an election rally in Bikapur on February 10.