RLD decides to support Congress in UP by polls

LUCKNOW: The Rashtriya Lok Dal has decided not to contest UP assembly by polls. It would instead support the Congress candidates which the party has fielded in 11 assembly constituencies which go to polls on September 13.

RLD refusal to contest the by polls comes despite the fact that nearly half-a-dozen of the assembly seats fall in western UP, a region that is considered to be the RLD's strong hold.

The RLD decision comes close on the heel of the set back suffered by BJP in four states - Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab - where by-poll results were declared on Monday.

"The party leadership has decided not to contest any of the assembly seats or the lone Lok Sabha seat for which by-elections will be held next month. The party will extend its support to the Congress candidates instead," said RLD state president Munna Singh Chauhan. The Congress and RLD were allies during the Lok Sabha polls.

Sources said that most of the district presidents had been of the opinion of not contesting the by election. "There had been apprehension amongst the ranks about possibility of winning the seats," said a senior party functionary. RLD had contested eight Lok Sabha seats in the general elections, 2014 and lost all of them. Both party president Ajit Singh and his Jayant Chaudhary, lost the elections.

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