On Charan Singh’s turf Baghpat, RLD and BJP turn ticket to a non-family member into a plus

For the first time since 1977, or in nearly 50 years, the Baghpat Lok Sabha seat does not have a candidate from Chaudhary Charan Singh’s family. But, contrary to expectations, it is turning out to be advantageous for the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary, who lost from Baghpat in 2019 and was expected to contest again, fielded instead Rajkumar Sangwan, 66. The retired professor who holds a PhD in history was an inspired choice, having been a close associate of Charan Singh since the start of the former prime minister’s political journey, who had never got a ticket from the RLD. The BJP, the RLD’s new ally, built upon it to draw a comparison with the Opposition’s “dynasty politics” — particularly as arrayed at that end are five family members of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alone.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held two election meetings in Baghpat, on April 19 and 23, where he stressed this point, to attack both the Congress and SP. At both the rallies, the CM said: “This is the difference between the SP, Congress and RLD. When the SP chief was distributing tickets for the general elections, he fielded his entire family from different Lok Sabha constituencies. The Congress is no different. But I want to congratulate Jayant ji that he has fielded an avowed party worker from where his grandfather and ‘Bharat Ratna’ Chaudhary Saheb and his father Ajit Singh used to win.”

Despite Baghpat being Charan Singh’s turf, the RLD suffered defeat at the hands of the BJP last two times. With the BJP and RLD now on the same side, the going seems easy for Sangwan.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Sangwan says: “I will live and die for the RLD.” Recounting his journey in the party, from a grass-roots worker to RLD