The upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh will see a coalescing of political forces, not least of which will be a new political party to be formed with the proposed merger of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), led by Ajit Singh, and the Janata Dal (United).
RLD chief Ajit Singh told The Hindu that a committee had been set up in both parties to settle the merger.
U.P.’s new coalition will be similar to grand alliance
A rainbow coalition of a party to be formed with the merger of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), led by Ajit Singh, and the JDl (U), and smaller entities such as the Peace Party and the breakaway faction of the Apna Dal is being planned with the ultimate aim of roping in the Congress.
“This is true, we are in talks to merge our two parties, and talking to the Apna Dal and the Peace Party to join us and persuade the Congress to forge an alliance with us in Uttar Pradesh, similar to the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar,” Mr. Singh said.
Mr. Singh said that when the Janata Parivar merger failed to take off, he remained in touch with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, from which this new idea came up.
“At that time too, I had told the others who wanted the merger that Mulayam Singh, for very obvious reasons, will walk out of the proposed merger,” he said.
