Farmers Movement Archive

RLD, SP hold first joint rally, declare alliance for Uttar Pradesh polls

MEERUT: The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) held their first joint rally at Meerut's Dabathwa village on Tuesday and announced from the dais that they have formed an alliance for the coming assembly elections. This is also the first time that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and RLD president Jayant Chaudhary have shared a stage in preparation for the upcoming state polls. Addressing a well-attended gathering, former UP CM Yadav said, “BJP’s sun will set in the west (western UP) forever. Farmers suffered a lot, and this time they have decided to shut the door to the BJP. Farmers wanted their voices heard but instead were crushed under a jeep.” It was not surprising that both the leaders chose to talk at length about farmers and their issues at the rally. The farmers' protests against the recently repealed farm laws had received huge support from this western belt of UP. A string of mahapanchayats organised by leaders of the agitation has seen thousands in attendance. Chaudhary promised to erect a memorial for farmers who died during the agitation on the Delhi border. "Farmers have fought a huge battle and, perhaps, for the first time forced Modi ji to bend. They have paid a huge price. More than 700 farmers were martyred," he said. The rally came on a day when PM Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally in Gorakhpur after inaugurating several development projects, said, “Red cap is a red alert for UP”. The red cap is worn by SP members as a symbol of allegiance to the party. Reacting to Modi's remarks, Yadav later tweeted: "Red alert for BJP is the rising inflation, plight of farmers, oppression of women and youths, Dalit girl’s death in Hathras, Lakhimpur violence in which farmers were mowed down by convoy of Union minister’s son, etc. Lal topi (red cap) will throw BJP out of power this time.” Several rounds of talks were earlier held between Chaudhary and Yadav for a possible alliance in west UP. Though the two leaders have announced a pre-poll alliance, they are yet to arrive at a seat-sharing agreement, revealed a source in RLD. “Preparations had been going on for weeks for today’s rally, and the presence of a large crowd is itself a message to BJP. The saffron party doesn't stand a chance in the coming election,” said Meerut district president of SP, Rajpal Singh, who presided over the rally.

The Times of India

2021-12-08

Meerut