145;Ditched146; by Mayawati, Ajit Singh to join NDA

On Thursday, Singh said: 8220;Our talks with the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP are moving in right direction but a lot has to be done.8221; He refused to disclose any information regarding his demand for seats in western Uttar Pradesh. nbsp;

Sources in the RLD said an announcement regarding Singh8217;s entry into the NDA camp will be made public after Diwali.

8220;Bahujan Samaj Party BSP chief Mayawati has not only ditched the RLD leader but virtually forced him to embrace the NDA,8221; a source said.

8220;The political situation in western Uttar Pradesh underwent a complete change after Mayawati decided to field Muslim candidates from key constituencies. Hence, RLD preferred an alliance with the NDA,8221; said an RLD leader. He added the party will gain by entering into an alliance with the BJP.

8220;The Congress would not have accepted our demand to field our candidates in major western UP parliamentary constituencies like Aligarh, Mathura, Kairana, Muzaffar Nagar, Meerut, Bulandshar, Baghpat and Bijnore,8221; another source cited the reason behind Singh8217;s choice of NDA.

RLD8217;s state president Ram Asray Verma said talks regarding alliance are being discussed at the top level in New Delhi. 8220;I have requested our leaders to demand seats in Bundelkhand, central and eastern UP. The party should contest at least one seat in these three regions,8221; he said.

BJP8217;s state unit president Ramapati Tripathi refused to give any information regarding his party8217;s poll alliance with the RLD.

8220;The state unit welcomes any decision taken by the national leaders,8221; he said. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;