IndiaTomorrow.net,
Lucknow, Jan 25: In the wake of formation of a pre-poll alliance between Samajwadi Party and Congress, the Janata Dal (United) on Wednesday announced not to contest the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in order to avoid division in secular votes. India’s largest state is going to polls in Feb-March.
According to media reports, Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal, which is part of the government in Bihar and had contested the polls jointly in 2015, had advised JD-U not to contest the UP polls.
RJD chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu himself was working to ensure an alliance between SP and Congress.
“Have been consistently in talks with @samajwadiparty & @INCIndia’s top leadership. Hoping & doing my best to stitch the Bihar like alliance,” tweeted Lalu on Sunday, the day SP and Congress inked alliance.
Lalu’s son and Bihar’s current deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav also expressed happiness over success of his father’s efforts for the secular alliance in UP.
“Glad @laluprasadrjd Ji’s efforts paid off in stitching SP/INC alliance in UP for social equality,brotherhood & @yadavakhilesh’s development,” said Yadav junior in a tweet.
In 2012, Nitish’s JD-U had contested 219 seats of total 403 seats in UP but could not win any seat. However, grand victory in Bihar assembly polls in 2015, he had announced to contest UP polls also.
