Haryana-based Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have joined hands for the Assembly elections slated for later this year.
INLD secretary general Abhay Chautala and BSP national coordinator Akash Anand said they would like to welcome other like-minded social and political outfits to the alliance.
Abhay Chautala, the grandson of former Deputy Prime Minister and important Jat leader Chaudhary Devi Lal, will be the alliance’s chief ministerial face.
According to the seat sharing agreement, the INLD would contest on 53 of the state’s 90 seats and the BSP would fight on the remaining 37 seats in the October polls.
Both parties have promised to cancel contractual employment and offer permanent jobs. Installation of solar plants to bring down the electricity bill of households to Rs 500, free water, old-age pension of Rs 7,500 per month, Rs 21,000 unemployment allowance and one employed person in every house are some of their other promises.
Families belonging to the Scheduled Castes, would get 100-yard plot each, free coaching for competitive exams and free education up to Class 10.
In 2018, amid internal strife within the INLD, OP Chautala’s grandson Dushyant split from the party, forming the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP). The following year, in 2019, JJP allied with the BJP to secure governance in the state. However, in March, JJP withdrew its support.
The BSP’s seat count in Uttar Pradesh plummeted from 10 in 2019 to zero in the latest Lok Sabha elections. Whereas it managed to win only one of the 403 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh in 2022.
