Samajwadi Party hopes RLD won't weaken struggle for farmer welfare

Lucknow: Amid heightened speculation on RLD joining hands with BJP before the general elections, senior SP leaders sought to brush off the reports, even as an RLD's internal resentment on SP looking to field three of its own candidates on RLD symbol started coming to the fore.

According to reports, BJP has offered the INDIA bloc member - Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) - two seats while the latter has been vying for four. With RLD not winning any seat in alliance with BSP and SP in 2019 and Jat voters largely favouring BJP in 2022 UP polls, it is believed to have given the party enough reasons to switch sides.

"Jayant Chaudhary is a straightforward and educated man. I hope he will not weaken the struggle for farmer welfare," SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said.