Lucknow: Burying the past differences with
Samajwadi Party, Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal has decided
to campaign for Mulayam Singh Yadav's daughter-in-law Dimple
who is contesting by-election from Firozabad seat.
"RLD MP and in-charge of youth wing Jayant Chaudhary
will address a rally in support of SP candidate Dimple in
Tundla on November 4," SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said.
After 2007 Assembly Election, this will be the first
time when SP and RLD leaders will share the dias.
RLD, which was a partner in Mulayam Singh Yadav's
government, broke away with the SP before 2007 Assembly
Elections.
In last Lok Sabha elections, RLD forged an alliance
with BJP, and won five seats in Uttar Pradesh.
Later, it also won Morena Assembly seat in by-election
in alliance with the BJP.
"We have not left the NDA, but in Firozabad, our
objective is to keep Congress and BSP at bay. As BJP nominee
from this seat is weak, the party has decided to extend
support to SP," a senior RLD leader said.
He said that the party was not extending support to SP
on 11 Assembly seats, where by-elections are being held
simultaneously.
Dimple, who is making her debut in the electoral
politics is pitched against actor-turned politician and
Congress nominee Raj Babbar from Firozabad Parliamentary
constituency.
AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi and other senior
leaders, including MP from Moradabad Mohd Azharuddin and
Digvijay Singh, have already campaigned in favour of Raj
Babbar.
Meanwhile, the Congress has alleged that Jayant's open
support to Dimple has exposed the tacit understanding between
the SP and the BJP.
"Our allegation that both the parties are having a
tacit understanding stand vindicated," UPCC chief spokesman
Subodh Srivastava said.
He alleged that in a bid to help the SP nominee, BJP
fielded a weak candidate from Firozabad.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, November 02, 2009, 13:12