‘Meeting’ triggers talk of move to NDA, Jayant denies, says will attend next Oppn meeting

On Sunday, Union minister Ramdas Athawale, who was in Uttar Pradesh for an event, told mediapersons that Chaudhary would join the NDA in the coming days. “Jayant Chaudharyji didn’t go for the Patna meeting (of Opposition parties). He is unhappy with Akhilesh Yadav, and may join us,” he said.

Asked about Athawale’s remarks, Chaudhary told reporters in Baghpat: “My stand is absolutely clear. How does it matter what they say?” The RLD chief also played down the political upheaval in Maharashtra. “This is not an issue. Such things happen. This is not happening for the first time in politics.”

Chaudhary was not present at the June 23 Opposition meeting in Patna, with his party saying he had to go for a “pre-decided family programme”. The next round is scheduled for July 17-18 in Bengaluru. “In the next round of talks, I will take part,” Chaudhary said.

Asked about his views on a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), over which the Opposition parties are divided, Chaudhary said: “We don’t know what is the form of this UCC. Then, what is the point of discussing it? As far as the issue of empowerment of women is concerned… if women are being disrespected in any way, that should stop. In modern India and in a democracy, there should be equality between men and women in their relationship. Now, how the government does this is a different issue.”

There has been talk for some time about a growing rift between Chaudhary and Akhilesh, the Samajwadi Party president. The RLD and SP have been allies since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and fought last year’s Assembly polls together, where the two young leaders projected a picture of bonhomie. The election results reinforced the success of the partnership, with the two parties regaining their ground in western Uttar Pradesh.

However, the ties have been souring. Chaudhary’s announcement at the last minute that he would not be present at the June 23 Opposition meeting in Patna was seen as a fallout of this tension.

Then, on July 1, Chaudhary set tongues wagging by failing to post a tweet wishing Akhilesh on his 50th birthday. Both Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BSP president Mayawati greeted the SP chief.

A source in the RLD said the differences between Akhilesh and Chaudhary first arose over a Rajya Sabha seat for the RLD leader. “The SP gave him the seat after much bargaining… There were some other issues as well. Akhileshji and Jayantji became distant after that,” the leader said.

The differences came to the fore during the urban local body elections in Uttar Pradesh in May, when the two parties fielded candidates against each other in several seats. The RLD was upset over not being allotted any of the mayoral seats to contest, particularly the Meerut seat.

The RLD saw it as symptomatic of the SP’s belief that it was the natural leader of the Opposition block in UP.

During the civic polls, Chaudhary was not present at the meetings in western UP attended by Akhilesh.

Around this time, RLD leaders started talking of the party “exploring options” for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. RLD sources also talked of SP “bullying”, and dropped hints of moving towards the Congress.

The move to the BJP, however, would not be without its own set of issues for the RLD. The RLD’s main support base is the Jat community in western UP, with the party recently running a campaign to bring on board Muslims and Dalits. A dalliance with the BJP could alienate several prominent Muslim and Dalit leaders of the RLD.

“While the party may switch its ideology, some leaders can’t. Especially those from the Muslim and Dalit community,” an RLD leader said.

Meanwhile, amid the developments in Maharashtra on Sunday, Akhilesh put out a cryptic tweet, open to interpretation. He wrote, “The mathematics of politics is different, here someone’s joining does not always increase power, but it can also mean to share the power that was already there with another partner. It is also a symbol of increasing weakness.”

Akhilesh’s former ally and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party president Om Prakash Rajbhar said “there will be major toppling in UP too”. “Don’t just see Maharashtra. Similar things will happen in UP too. You will see several SP MLAs and MPs take oath soon. There are many who want Lok Sabha tickets,” said Rajbhar, adding: “Did he (Jayant) go to Patna? Will he go to Bengaluru (the venue for the next Opposition meeting)?”