The Rashtriya Lok Dal, Janata Dal(United) and local outfit BS-4 (Bahujan Samaj Swabhiman Sangharsh Samiti) on Monday declared their pre-poll alliance for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, PTI reported. The announcement follows ruling Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s statement dismissing any alliance before the polls.
At a joint press conference in Lucknow, RLD chief Ajit Singh (pictured above), JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and BS-4 leader Bachan Singh Yadav announced that they will field candidates in all 403 seats. While stating that the alliance had not been named yet, the leaders promised that it would be an “honest coalition”, adding that they were negotiating with smaller outfits to join them, as well.
Sharad Yadav said they had been working towards a united front for a long time. “Mulayam was projected as a leader, but it did not materialise,” he said. “I would have merged my party with the SP on Mulayam’s call, but no time is left for this.”
Another JD(U) leader, KC Tyagi, said, “This alliance is formed to checkmate the Bharatiya Janata Party,” according to NDTV.
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