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Ajit sets terms for RLD-Congress merger

Last Updated 05 June 2010, 19:27 IST

According to sources, the deal for the merger of both the parties is being negotiated. Singh, an influential “Jat leader,” is seeking to strike a more favourable deal in UP in terms of seat allocations in the next Assembly polls in the state.

Singh’s party has 10 legislators as against 20 of the Congress in the UP Assembly with both sides currently agreeing to make their respective Rajya Sabha candidates successful in the state. Congress managers are, however, keen to end uncertainty in terms of the merger as the Jat leader is known for his political flip-flop and changing political platforms without any warning. The negotiations are underway for last several months, sources said.

The merger of RLD with the Congress would consolidate the latter’s campaign to take the main rivals—Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Partya—headlong in the state elections. Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is spearheading a campaign to get into the party’s fold old faithfuls—minorities, Dalits and the upper castes. Jats have a strong support base in the western UP and have presence in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

“The RLD’s merger in the Congress may indirectly pave way to similar mergers by the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) in Andhra Pradesh and NCP in Maharashtra”, party sources said pointing to the current Congress effort to take party to its pre-1996 political dominance in various states.

PRP chief Chiranjeevi met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi last week. The PRP has only 18 legislators in a House of 294, a case similar to that of the RLD in UP.

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(Published 05 June 2010, 19:27 IST)

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