RLD chief now wants front with Mulayam, Nitish

Two days ago he had announced that his Rashtriya Lok Dal would go it alone in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, but on Saturday RLD president Ajit Singh had a change of heart.

He appealed to all the followers of late Charan Singh and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia to come together on one platform and defeat communal forces in Uttar Pradesh.

The RLD chief said that sections of the society, for whom these two leaders “fought all their lives”, are today the most neglected. People belonging to these sections are facing immense hardships and even committing suicide.

“I appeal to the parties and groups of individuals having similar ideology to resolve to work together in this hour of crisis so as to provide an effective platform for farmers, backwards and minorities for getting their rights,” Mr Singh said in a release.

He said that Uttar Pradesh is the “karambhoomi” of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia and Charan Singh and it is the need of the hour that people and parties having faith in the policies and leadership of these great men work together. “We should all come together on one platform, leaving behind differences,” he said.

Mr Singh pointed out that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav are the followers of Charan Singh and the good governance there reminds us of Chaudhary Charan Singh. He said that Mulayam Singh Yadav was a follower of both the leaders.

Earlier this week, Mr Ajit Singh had announced that his party will fight the state polls next year alone, projecting his son Jayant Chaudhary as its face.