Akhilesh, Jayant Singh Declare UP Alliance as Joint Rally Tests Farmers' Mood After Farm Laws Repeal

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Chaudhary Jayant Singh of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) announced their alliance for Uttar Pradesh elections 2022 at a joint rally in Meerut district on Tuesday.

Akhilesh Yadav and Jayant Singh arrived for the rally, dubbed ‘Parivartan Sandesh’ in Dabathua area of Meerut district, in the same helicopter.

From the dais, Akhilesh attacked the ruling BJP over “unfulfilled” election promises and alleged that it practises the politics of polarisation. “The BJP sold all public sector units to private sector, and hence sold them the jobs too. The PM said people in slippers will travel in planes, but with the cost of petrol and diesel so high, people cannot even travel in cars and bikes. We Samajwadis want to create a bouquet of all colours whereas the BJP represents only one colour… They cannot bring peace,” the former CM said.

Workers of both parties had been preparing ground for the rally for the past few days, with the venue decked in red and green, the colours of the two parties. In hoardings and posters up ahead of the rally, Akhilesh Yadav was seen donning his trademark red cap while Jayant Singh was seen in a green-coloured gamchha.

SP state president Naresh Uttam Patel and RLD state president Dr Masood Ahmed have been camping in Meerut for the last four days, overseeing the preparations. The rally is also being watched by other political parties since organisers have billed it as “the biggest rally in west UP”. The rally is also the first to be held in western UP since the contentious farm laws were repealed by the Centre.

The Samajwadi Party and RLD had earlier entered into alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, with little dividend. The leaders of the two parties, however, remained on cordial terms. The combine is now aiming to capitalise on the farming belt in western Uttar Pradesh where resentment had been building over the farm laws.

Chaudhary Jayant Singh and Akhilesh Yadav had met last month in Lucknow, following which the former had tweeted a photo with the latter, captioning it “Badhte Kadam”. Akhilesh responded saying, “Jayant Chaudhary ke saath badlav ki ore”. Sources said that in some seats SP candidates may contest on RLD tickets.

Akhilesh also recently received the backing of NCP chief Sharad Pawar and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for the elections, with the latter likely to visit Varanasi next month.

“Didi (Mamata) has already said in Delhi that if Akhilesh Yadav needs our help, we are ready to extend help. The gesture of senior SP leader Jaya Bachchan seeking votes for the TMC during the West Bengal Assembly elections will be reciprocated in Uttar Pradesh,” said Laliteshpati Tripathi, who recently joined the TMC. “The target is the same and we have to leave no stone unturned to ensure that these forces (led by the BJP) are defeated. We are also with SP chief Akhilesh ji in his fight.”

Pawar, meanwhile, said his party will back Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh elections and will consult the SP if the NCP decides to contest a few seats in UP. “We have decided that we will back Akhilesh Singh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh. If we contest a few seats, then that will be in consultation with the Samajwadi Party,” he said.

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