Lucknow, July 09: Former railway minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad is spreading his wings beyond Bihar, and his first destination is Uttar Pradesh (UP). The party launched ‘Operation UP’ at its 12th Foundation Day here last week. Its first major test would be the bypolls to 13 assembly and one Lok Sabha seats (Ferozabad) to be held before October this year.
UP unit chief Ashok Singh said the RJD was prepared to contest at least four assembly seats. “We are also preparing to contest elections to cooperative societies,” he said.
The RJD would also mount a unique demonstration protesting the drastic power shortage in UP. During power cuts after sunset, workers would take out processions with lighted lanterns (the party’s election symbol).
But the RJD’s ambitions in UP could affect its alliance with Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi Party (SP) and Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), formed during the Lok Sabha election. “We are finalising our strategy for the byelections and I am sure senior leaders will work out a mutually-acceptable formula,” Ashok Singh said.
The alliance is likely to leave the Ferozabad seat for Paswan, who lost the election from Hajipur in Bihar. JD sources said the party was keen to contest at least four of the 13 assembly seats in the bypoll.
Several speakers at the foundation day function declared it was high time the RJD fought for its space in UP. “We can’t survive if we continue to be underlings of another party,” a district president said. He was obviously referring to the SP.
“We will leave the Lok Sabha seat for the LJP and the SP can contest eight or nine assembly seats. But we should get at least four seats,” another leader said. “After all, Mulayam Singhji has been putting up candidates in Bihar in every election,” he added.
‘Operation UP’ has become a compulsion for the RJD as it finds itself pushed to a corner by the Congress and the BJP and its allies in Bihar. From 24 seats in 2004, its tally has been reduced to four this time. It might also lose recognition as a national party as its national vote share came down to 1.27% in the Lok Sabha election.
–Agencies