With high-stake Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections due in 2027, the allies of the ruling Bharatiya Janata party — Apna Dal (S), Rastriya Lok Dal (RLD), Suheldeo Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) and NISHAD party have started flexing muscles for enhancing their bargaining power.
The upcoming panchayat election in April 2026 has given the desired opportunity to these parties to make moves to convey their demands and aspirations to the big brother BJP, well ahead of the assembly polls. The three parties have announced their plans to contest the panchayat elections independently.
The RLD), led by Jayant Chaudhury, an Union minister of state, is leading from the front among the allies of the BJP, who have decided to contest panchayat elections independently. Prior to RLD, Apna Dal (S), SBSP and NISHAD Party had decided to go their own way in the panchayat elections due next year.
The decision of the BJP allies to contest independently is seen as a politically significant development ahead of the 2027 assembly polls. As per RLD sources, the party plans to contest ‘a good number’ of seats independently, especially, in western UP, to consolidate its position in the politically crucial western UP.