In political wilderness, Ajit sets sight on RS berth
LUCKNOW: Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) national president Ajit Singh’s political journey may soon come a full circle.
Twenty years after he started his political career as a Rajya Sabha member in 1986, Singh, 75, who was civil aviation minister in the UPA government, is once again looking for a berth in the Upper House of Parliament.
Finding himself in the political wilderness since all the RLD candidates, including himself and son Jayant Chaudhary lost the Lok Sabha polls, Singh is bar- gaining hard with the Congress for a Rajya Sabha berth for himself during elections to the Upper House in October-November in lieu of a seat for the Congress in the Vidhan Parishad in UP in January next year, sources said.
“Last time, we helped the Congress win a Rajya Sabha seat for their leader Rasheed Masood
WE HAVE REQUESTED THE CONGRESS TO HELP AJIT SINGH WIN THE RS SEAT WHEN ELECTIONS ARE HELD IN OCT-NOV THIS YEAR. WE WILL HELP CONGRESS WIN A SEAT IN VIDHAN PARISHAD HERE
SENIOR RLD LEADER
while they helped us get a berth in the Vidhan Parishad here for our man. But this time we want the reverse,” disclosed a senior RLD leader, adding, “We have requested the Congress to help Ajit Singh win the Rajya Sabha seat when elections are held in October-November this year. We will help the Congress win a seat in the Vidhan Parishad here.”
This time, Singh lost his traditional Baghpat Lok Sabha seat to BJP candidate Satya Pal Singh by a big margin. Jayant Chaudhary lost the Mathura seat to another BJP candidate and cine star Hema Malini.
Ajit Singh is said to have asked the party’s state unit to put on hold all the agitations either against the Samajwadi Party (SP) government in the state or the BJP government at the Centre, till the Rajya Sabha polls in October-November.
“This is because the party may have to seek the SP or the BJP’s support as well in getting a Rajya Sabha berth for its leader. Hence, we do not want to displease any party till November,” said another leader.
The RLD had an alliance with the Congress during the Lok Sabha polls. The alliance continues. The RLD is sure of the Congress agreeing to the tradeoff being suggested by Singh. “Without each other’s support, we cannot win. Hence, we are sure Congress will agree to a Vidhan Parisahd berth while leaving the Rajya Sabha seat for Ajit Singh,” a party leader said.
Ten Rajya Sabha members are retiring on November 25. Elections will be held to fill the vacancies before that. The Congress and the RLD have 28 and eight MLAs, respectively, in the Vidhan Sabha.
Together, the parties can elect one member to the RS. Similarly, elections to 12 seats in the Vidhan Parishad are due in January 2015. There too, the two parties together can claim one seat.