After prolonged confusion over the candidate for the Mathura seat that led to a fissure in the party, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) vice-president Jayant Chaudhary declared the names of candidates contesting Lok Sabha polls from Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar and Mathura. As per an RLD communique, party chief Chaudhary Ajeet Singh will contest from Muzaffarnagar, Jayant Chaudhary form Baghpat and Kunwar Narendra Singh from Mathura.
While the names of candidates from Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat were clear from day one, there was confusion over the Mathura seat. There was widespread speculations that Jayant’s wife would contest the election.
Later, the rumour mills propagated that west UP chief of RLD Anil Chaudhary would contest from the seat. However, Chaudhary later claimed that he had turned down the offer due to some reservation. This delay in announcing the names created confusion among party cadres and even threatened to split the west UP unit of the RLD.
Sources said that senior RLD leaders later convened a meeting and the contestants were decided on Tuesday. “Contestant for the Mathura seat Narendra Singh is a commonly acceptable candidate in the party and the decision will check the fissure in party line,” party sources said. They said that Ajit Singh had good hold on voters in Baghpat and that way he would be able to ensure his son Jayant’s win while he would use his political acumen to come out victorious from the Muzaffarnagar seat.
