Mulayam-Ajit meeting to thrash out differences
IN ORDER to bridge widening rift between the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav held a meeting with RLD chief Ajit Singh in Delhi. The state RLD unit is disenchanted with the government.
IN ORDER to bridge widening rift between the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav held a meeting with RLD chief Ajit Singh in Delhi. The state RLD unit is disenchanted with the government.
RLD sources said Yadav was accompanied by SP general secretary Amar Singh.
RLD MP Anuradha Chaudhury was also present at the meeting.
The meeting has taken place in the backdrop of speculations about Ajit Singh switching over to the Congress. Though the RLD had extended outside support to the Congress-led UPA government, moves were afoot to join the Union ministry. The obvious fallout would be departure of RLD ministers from the Yadav government.
Of late the relations between the two parties have worsened. While SP leaders have so far restrained from directly commenting against the RLD, state RLD leaders, including president Ram Asre Verma and general secretary Awadh Pal Singh Yadav had been openly carrying on tirade against the government. The tussle between the two parties had started during village panchayat election, which culminated into the RLD taking out a fortnight Kisan Yatra in eastern UP.
The rally had adopted the tone and tenor of an opposition party. Even Ram Asre Verma reportedly went to the extent of commenting that the present government was “most corrupt” dispensation in the state.
This was certainly not music to the ears of SP leaders and Amar Singh strongly rebutted the charge. Although both have not been pulling on well, the SP leadership, which has been facing problems on various fronts doesn’t want another ally to fall out.
The Delhi meeting earlier this week was thus aimed at thrashing out sharp differences between the two parties. Though not feeling comfortable and apprehensive of facing anti-incumbency, the RLD ministers are sticking to the government because of no directive from the national leadership.
