SP, RLD announce alliance for Lok Sabha polls; latter gets 7 seats in UP

The Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal on Friday announced their alliance for the Lok Sabha polls, with the RLD saying that the other party will leave seven seats in western Uttar Pradesh for its nominees.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav and RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary announced the tie-up for the elections later this year on social media.

"Congratulations to everyone on the alliance of RLD and SP. Let us all unite for victory," Yadav said in a post on X.

Reposting this tweet, Chaudhary said, "Always ready to protect national and constitutional values. We expect all workers of our alliance to move forward together for the development and prosperity of our region."

He also posted pictures of the two leaders shaking hands.

An RLD spokesperson told PTI that the seat-sharing deal was finalised at a meeting between the two leaders.

"The RLD will contest seven seats in western Uttar Pradesh," he said. But the spokesperson did not name the specific seats.

Last month, the Samajwadi Party chief had asserted that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are for safeguarding the Constitution.

"The BJP made the new Parliament and suspended the maximum number of MPs to escape from answering questions... They do not want the Parliament to run. The people should remain alert that if they (BJP) come into power in 2024, they will take away the right to vote. The elections of 2024 are for safeguarding the Constitution," SP head said.

Yadav's remark was about the total 146 MPs -- 100 from Lok Sabha and 46 from Rajya Sabha who were suspended from Parliament Winter Session for creating a ruckus and disrupting proceedings in both Houses, while they were demanding a statement from Union Minister Amit Shah about the Parliament security breach incident.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)