UP Elections: RLD's Jayant Singh answers BJP's alliance offer; 'invite slain farmers' kin'

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Chaudhary Jayant Singh, on Wednesday, replied to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s "door is always open" comment by saying that the saffron party should not welcome him. Taking to his official Twitter handle, the grandson of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh said that instead of him, the families of the 700 farmers whose houses the BJP uprooted should be welcomed. 

Earlier in the day, BJP MP Parvesh Verma had quoted Union Home Minister Amit Shah from the meeting with the Jat community, saying, "Jayant Chaudhary, RLD chief, chose the wrong path (referring to the Samajwadi Party), the Jats will speak to him."

In the meeting that took place at Verma's residence, Shah recalled meeting the Jat leaders in 2013, 2017 as well as 2019, and said that the Jat community always supported the BJP and voted for the saffron party in abundance. 

"We have a long relationship with you. Jat society faced whoever attacked the country, and as the dominant party at the Centre, today, we must let you know that you have right on the BJP," Shah said, outlining that just like the community, the party is also with the farmers. "I request you to vote for us," he concluded. 

'We are with BJP', Jat leaders assert

Though the BJP received considerable support from the Jat community in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections and Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections of 2017, opposition parties claim that Jats, who are mainly farmers, would not go with the BJP after the year-long protest over the now withdrawn farm laws.

Post their meeting with Shah, Jat leaders spoke to Republic. While one confirmed support of the Jats to the BJP, the other added that the party had always been the first choice of the community, be it in 2007, 2012 or 2017. Reiterating BJP's slogan 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas', another leader said, "Congress, SP, BSP does not stand a chance in the elections, and the rule of BJP will be retained."

Elections in UP will be conducted in seven phases. While the first phase of the Election will be held on February 10, voting for the second, third, fourth, and fifth phases will take place on February 14, 20, 23, and 27, respectively. The sixth phase will see voting on March 3 while the voting for the seventh phase will be held on March 7. The counting of votes for all the phases will take place on March 10.