2024 Lok Sabha polls: RLD out to win back its former pocket borough Baghpat
The RLD, which is in alliance with the BJP, has fielded loyalist Rajkumar Sangwan from Baghpat that was represented by former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh
Winning back its former pocket borough Baghpat is among the Rashtriya Lok Dal’s (RLD) top concerns in the Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, where voting will be held in seven phases beginning April 19.
In 2019, former Union minister Ajit Singh’s son and current RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary lost the election in Baghpat. (FILE PHOTO)
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The RLD, which is in alliance with the BJP, has fielded loyalist Rajkumar Sangwan from Baghpat that was represented by former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh at least thrice in the past and then by his son and Jayant Chaudhary’s father Ajit Singh a dozen times between 1989 and 2009. Baghpat goes to polls in the second phase on April 26.
This is the first time since 1977, when no one from Chaudhary Charan Singh’s family is contesting from Baghpat.
Chaudhary Charan Singh, who was born at a village in Hapur district, began his political career from Chhaprauli, an assembly segment under the Baghpat Lok Sabha constituency in 1937.
However, the party had to face back-to-back humiliating defeats in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Baghpat.
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In 2014, party founder former Union minister Ajit Singh lost to the BJP’s Satya Pal Singh, a former Mumbai police commissioner. And in 2019, Ajit Singh’s son and current Jayant Chaudhary lost to the same candidate.
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In 2014, party founder former Union minister Ajit Singh lost to the BJP’s Satya Pal Singh, a former Mumbai police commissioner. And in 2019, Ajit Singh’s son and current Jayant Chaudhary lost to the same candidate.
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Baghpat had become a tough seat for the party with a rural base after much of the urban area became part of the constituency following delimitation, according to a senior RLD leader.
“Now, with the BJP on our side, we are sure to regain our traditional seat with a landslide,” he claimed.
Brajendra K Parashar is a Senior Journalist with the Hindustan Times, based in Lucknow, with nearly three decades of experience covering governance, public policy, politics and development in Uttar Pradesh. Over the years, he has reported extensively on key sectors, including energy and renewable power, mobility and transport, road safety, agriculture and allied sectors and issues related to farmers, rural development, taxation under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and public administration. A seasoned political correspondent, Parashar closely tracks the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has covered every major election in Uttar Pradesh right from three-tier panchayat elections and urban local body polls to Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. He also reports regularly on the proceedings of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature, bureaucracy, governance, policy decisions and administrative developments with focus on their impact on public life. His reporting is known for its strong analytical approach, extensive use of official data. His areas of interests include investigative journalism, long-form political and policy analysis, data-driven reporting, elections and institutional reforms. Parashar holds a postgraduate degree in Political Science with First Division from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), followed by a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication from the same university. His inclination towards journalism began during his student days, when he regularly contributed letters to editors and articles to newspapers and magazines. In the mid-1990S, his essay, “Should India Switch Over to the Presidential Form Of Government?”, published in Politics India magazine edited by noted constitutional expert Subhash C Kashyap, was adjudged the best entry in a national competition. His work has received professional recognition, including the Hindustan Times Journalist of the Month Award for an impactful series on drinking water issues during the 2010 Lok Sabha election campaign. Originally from Kasganj in western Uttar Pradesh, Parashar is currently based in Lucknow where continues to report on politics, governance and public policy.
