The Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) will hold four rallies in Uttar Pradesh even before the formal merger takes place.
The Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) will hold four rallies in Uttar Pradesh even before the formal merger takes place.
These rallies will be held in Meerut, Lakhimpur, Basti and Varanasi and will be addressed by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, RLD president Chaudhary Ajit Singh, former Jharkhand chief minister Babulal Marandi and Mr Sharad Yadav.
According to sources, the proposed alliance between these parties is likely to be formalised within the next one month and the idea is to win over Muslims, OBCs and most backward castes and scheduled tribes.
The Congress has kept its options open for an alliance with these parties.
“The biggest advantage of this alliance will be that Muslims will have confidence in us. With the Congress on board, there will be no possibility of any truck with the BJP. Muslims are wary of going with the BSP because they know that Ms Mayawati can compromise for the sake of power again and form government in alliance with the BJP,” said a JD(U) leader.
The alliance will project former RLD MP Jayant Chaudhary as its face in western UP. Mr Jayant Chaudhary, son of Chaudhary Ajit Singh, has been touring villages in western UP to win back jats and has succeeded to an extent.
The JD(U), led by Mr Nitish Kumar, will focus on eastern UP because of its geographical proximity with Bihar while the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha will focus on Scheduled Tribes who have remained neglected in dalit political battles. Mr Sharad Yadav will focus on weaning away Yadav voters from the Samajwadi Party. The role of the RJD in this new alliance, however, remains ambiguous.
