RLD deal ‘almost finalised’: What BJP has offered as Jayant Chaudhary inches closer to quitting INDIA bloc

With consensus yet to be reached with the Samajwadi Party (SP) on details of seat-sharing in Uttar Pradesh, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is moving closer to joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the coming days, sources within the party told The Indian Express on Thursday. The BJP, party insiders said, was offering it four Lok Sabha constituencies, a Union ministry, and two state ministries.

If the RLD jumps ship, it will be a major blow to the Opposition INDIA alliance in UP at a time when the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) are also attempting to resolve differences over seat-sharing. A senior RLD leader said, “Things have been almost finalised between us and the BJP. The formal announcement may happen soon, perhaps in a day or two.”

An RLD leader also provided details of the seat-sharing arrangement. “The BJP is giving us four seats for the Lok Sabha polls, one Union ministry, and two state ministers in UP. There are some issues on some seats but they will be worked out. One of the seats they are refusing to give us is Muzaffarnagar. That, too, will be worked out,” the leader said. Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan has been representing Muzaffarnagar in the Lok Sabha since 2014.

Sources in the BJP also confirmed progress in the talks between the two parties. A senior BJP leader in Delhi said, “Our party is offering them Baghpat, Mathura, Hathras, and Amroha. The party leadership has refused to give them Muzaffarnagar and Kairana. We are even offering Bijnor and Saharanpur.”

If the RLD quits the INDIA alliance, it will further weaken the beleaguered alliance in UP. Last month, SP president Akhilesh Yadav announced that the RLD would be allotted seven constituencies as part of a seat-sharing arrangement