RLD Chief Jayant Chaudhary won’t contest UP polls

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary said he will not contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly election, which his party is set to fight in an alliance with the Samajwadi Party. Chaudhary made this announcement at the RLD’s national executive meeting held on Friday. His refusal to fight the polls comes even as both chief minister Yogi Adityanath and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav have said they are ready to contest from whichever seat their respective parties decide for them. “Jayant Chaudhary will not be contesting the election,” a senior RLD leader, who attended the meeting, told ET on condition of anonymity.

The RLD also formally announced its alliance with the SP to party leaders on Friday. A day before, Chaudhary had visited Lucknow to meet Yadav. At a press conference in Gonda, Yadav told media persons that arrangements between the two parties had been finalised.

A leader close to Chaudhary said the party will fight on 24 seats from western UP districts, including Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat. Additionally, eight SP leaders will contest in the region on the RLD’s symbol. It was also decided in the meeting that the party will launch a “gaon-gali dastak” (village-lane outreach) programme from January 15 to February 12, which marks the birth anniversary of former RLD chief Ajit Singh, to campaign ahead of the election.

Much like Adityanath and Yadav, Chaudhary has never contested assembly polls. He is not likely to assume any role in the government either if the SP-RLD combine comes to power, said people aware of the They said he is vying for a seat in the Rajya Sabha instead.