In blow to Jayant Chaudhary before 2027 polls, UP RLD chief quits, flags NDA’s ‘divisive politics’
Ramashish Rai accuses RLD leadership of backing even the BJP's alleged bids to “create frenzy on caste and religious lines”; RLD brushes aside his allegations.
Jayant Chaudhary's RLD plans to broaden its organisational base by offering representation to 29 Most Backward Castes in western Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections (File photo). In a setback to the Jayant Chaudhary-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), its UP unit president Ramashish Rai resigned from his post as well as the party on Friday, barely seven months before the state Assembly elections.
Rai said his move was driven by the “divisive politics” of the ruling BJP-led NDA of which the RLD is a constituent in both UP and at the Centre.
In a letter addressed to Jayant, the Union minister of state for skill development and education, Rai said Indian democracy was being usurped by the influential and financially powerful sections and that the practice of dividing the society on caste and religious lines was on the rise. He also said the issues related to education, employment and social justice was causing distress among the masses.
“Unfortunately there are such people too in the top positions in public life, who are encouraging social division and caste frenzy. This practice is a threat for democracy, social harmony and national interest,” Rai told Jayant.
In the letter, Rai wrote that former Prime Minister and BJP stalwart late Atal Bihari Vajpayee had called the influence of money in politics and elections a serious threat to democracy. “His (Vajpayee’s) apprehensions are proving true up to a large extent today. Instead of ideological commitment, influence of financial power and pariwarwaad (dynasty politics) is increasing in politics, which is damaging the democratic values, and that is a matter of concern for democratic future of the country,” Rai stated.
Rai told The Indian Express he was “upset” with the RLD leadership because it was supporting the NDA government’s every decision, including its “divisive politics”. “Today, BJP has become a corporate entity which is dividing the society by creating frenzy on caste and religious lines… RLD is supporting it like a pichlaggu (hanger-on),” Rai alleged.
He had visited Jantar Mantar in New Delhi last month when students and youths led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) were protesting against paper leaks and demanding resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He had also extended support to activist Sonam Wangchuk, when he was on a hunger strike in support of the CJP’s demands.
“What happened at Jantar Mantar last month, that hurt my conscience. I agree with the demands of students,” Rai said.
Jayant had quit the Opposition INDIA alliance in February 2024 to switch to the NDA fold just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
On February 9, 2024, responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of Bharat Ratna for ex-PM Chaudhary Charan Singh, Jayant’s grandfather, the RLD chief had in a social media post said, “Dil jeet liya”. Asked then if he was joining hands with the BJP, he had said, “Dekhiye koi kasar rehti hai? Aaj mai kis muh se inkaar karoon aapke iss sawal ko? (Is there anything left? With which face can I deny this question today?).”
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the RLD contested and won two seats as part of the NDA in UP.
Over the decades, the RLD, mainly based in western UP, has allied with the BJP, Samajwadi Party (SP), and Congress for political survival.
Rai’s innings
Rai had started his political career by joining the JP movement in 1975. He later joined the BJP, and served as the chief of its state youth wing. He also contested in the 1993 Assembly election on the BJP ticket from the Fazil Nagar seat in his home district Deoria, but lost, following which he had accused some senior party leaders of “sabotaging” his election.
The BJP had suspended him from the party in 2003 when he started a “BJP bachao andolan” to demand an end to its then alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
Rai later joined the Congress and contested the 2004 Lok Sabha election on its ticket from Deoria, but lost again. He returned to the BJP in 2014 but rebelled again in 2019 when he was denied its ticket for the Lok Sabha election.
He joined the RLD in 2021 and was appointed the UP party chief in 2022.
As Rai hails from eastern UP, Jayant had appointed him the party’s state president to expand its footprint in the Purvanchal region. The RLD’s support base mainly involves the Jat community in western UP.
Sources in the RLD said the party was expecting such a move from Rai and hence last month it appointed senior leader Anupam Mishra as the state party working president.
RLD national general secretary (organisation) Trilok Tyagi declined to comment on Rai’s allegations. “His resignation has been accepted. Along with the RLD, the NDA will again form its government in UP in 2027,” Tyagi said.
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