Drawing a parallel between the surprising move made by Ajit Pawar in Maharashtra, Ramdas Athawale, president of the Republican Party of India (RPI) and Union Minister for Social Empowerment, has predicted a potential alliance between the Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh.
Speaking to this reporter in Lucknow, Athawale said, “Rashtriya Lok Dal in UP could surprise Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, much like how Ajit Pawar stunned his uncle, Sharad Pawar, by aligning with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).”
Athawale highlighted the growing rivalry between Akhilesh Yadav and RLD president Jayant Chaudhary as he discussed the political dynamics in UP. He expressed his belief that this conflict might lead to Jayant’s alignment with the NDA.
Furthermore, Athawale pointed to a significant shift in support, with members of not only backward classes and Dalits but also the Muslim community increasingly gravitating towards the NDA.
He said that the declining public support for Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party and the Muslim community distancing itself from the SP could potentially lead to substantial divisions within these parties.
Emphasising the NDA’s appeal among backward classes, Athawale pointed out that over 80 per cent of the backward community supported the alliance. He attributed the weakening of the BSP to the growing trend of Dalits aligning themselves with the NDA.
Athawale commended Ajit Pawar’s decision to support the NDA in Maharashtra, expressing his belief that it would strengthen the alliance in the state, despite Sharad Pawar’s reservations.
The RPI chief refuted allegations of orchestrating a split within the Nationalist Congress Party, asserting that Ajit Pawar had willingly chosen to join the NDA.
Athawale cautioned that those opposing the NDA in other states might encounter similar unexpected turns of events.
Ramdas Athawale’s observations shed light on the potential political upheavals in Uttar Pradesh, where internal conflicts within the SP and RLD coincide with the NDA’s increasing support from various communities.
The prospect of an alliance between the RLD and BJP adds an intriguing dynamic to the political landscape of UP, which could significantly impact the upcoming elections.
