Rashtriya Lok Dal | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | RLD |
Chairperson | Jayant Chaudhary[1] |
Founder | Ajit Singh |
Founded | 1996 |
Split from | Janata Dal |
Preceded by | Lok Dal |
Headquarters | AB 97, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi, 110011 |
Ideology | Secularism[2] Jats Upliftment[3] Minority Rights[3] |
ECI Status | State Party |
Alliance | |
Seats in Lok Sabha | 0 / 543 |
Seats in Rajya Sabha | 1 / 245 |
Seats in Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly | 9 / 403 |
Seats in Rajasthan Legislative Assembly | 1 / 200 |
Number of states and union territories in government | 1 / 31 |
Election symbol | |
Party flag | |
Website | |
www.rashtriyalokdal.com | |
Rashtriya Lok Dal (abbreviated as RLD) (translation: National People's Party) is a political party in India founded by Chaudhary Ajit Singh. He was carrying on the political legacy of his father and former Prime Minister of India, Chaudhary Charan Singh and the original Lok Dal.[4] Chaudhary Ajit Singh was infected with COVID-19 and died during treatment at Medanta Hospital, Gurgaon.[5]
The party has one MLA in Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Dr. Subhash Garg, who is also serving as MoS (I/C) in the Ashok Gehlot led govt. RLD is considered influential in the western region of Uttar Pradesh.[6]
In 2002, party had two cabinet ministers in chief minister Mayawati's cabinet.[7] From 2003 to 2007, the party had six ministers in the Uttar Pradesh government.[citation needed] The party's official electoral symbol is a hand pump.[8]
In 2004 Lok Sabha elections, RLD contested in alliance with the Samajwadi Party. RLD contested only in the western part of Uttar Pradesh, where they won three seats.[9]
In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, RLD contested seven seats in western Uttar Pradesh, in an alliance with the Bhartiya Janata Party, and won five seats.[6]
On 12 December 2011, RLD joined the United Progressive Alliance led by Indian National Congress. The party contested on eight constituencies in Uttar Pradesh in 2014 Indian general election as per an arrangement with UPA[10] but lost on all of them. Party chief Ajit Singh who was six term holder from Baghpat seat, lost to BJP candidate Satya Pal Singh. His son Jayant Chaudhary, the incumbent MP from Mathura, lost to BJP candidate Hema Malini too.[6][11]
In January 2015 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections, RLD supported Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidates.[12][13][14]
In 2017 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, it could win only one seat. Later, its lone MLA was expelled from the party.
In 2018 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election the RLD won one seat from Bharatpur Legislative Assembly Constituency. The Party candidate Dr. Subhash Garg won by beating BJP candidate by a margin of over 15500 votes.
In 2019, RLD joined the Grand Alliance made by BSP and SP in Uttar Pradesh for the General Elections 2019. As per the seat-sharing arrangement, RLD got 3 seats Baghpat, Mathura and Muzaffarnagar but lost all of these. Sanjeev Balyan defeated Ajit Singh from Muzaffarnagar constituency and Satyapal Singh defeated Jayant Choudhary from Baghpat constituency while actress Hema Malini defeated Kunwar Singh from Mathura constituency.
Term | Indian General Election |
Seats contested |
Seats won |
% of votes |
---|---|---|---|---|
12th Lok Sabha | 1998 | 8 | 0 | |
13th Lok Sabha | 1999 | 7 | 2 | |
14th Lok Sabha | 2004 | 10 | 3 | |
15th Lok Sabha | 2009 | 7 | 5 | |
16th Lok Sabha | 2014 | 8 | 0 | |
17th Lok Sabha | 2019 | 3 | 0 |
Term | Assembly Election |
Seats contested |
Seats won |
% of votes |
---|---|---|---|---|
13th Legislative assembly | 1996 | 38 | 8 | 2.13% |
14th Legislative assembly | 2002 | 38 | 14 | 2.65% |
15th Legislative assembly | 2007 | 254 | 10 | 1.95% |
16th Legislative assembly | 2012 | 46 | 9 | 2.33% |
17th legislative assembly | 2017 | 171 | 1 | 1.71% |
18th Legislative assembly | 2022 | 33 | 8 | 3.18% |
MLAs in Rajasthan Legislative Assembly:
MLAs in Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly:
No. | Name | Term in office | Portfolio | Prime Minister | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Chaudhary Ajit Singh | 18 December 2011 | 26 May 2014 | Minister of Civil Aviation | Manmohan Singh | |
22 July 2001 | 24 May 2003 | Minister of Agriculture | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |