JDU contest on its own in UP election party president Lalan Singh

Newly elected president of the Janata Dal United (JDU) Lalan Singh said that his party will contest the assembly elections of Uttar Pradesh alone if the BJP will not give adequate seats to it as an alliance partner of the NDA.

With this, the JDU will be the second political party of the NDA which has decided to contest elections alone in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier, VIP chief Mukesh Sahani announced the same and said that his party will contest the elections against the BJP. Sahani also said that Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath is scared of his visiting the state.

While pointing out the Arunachal Pradesh incident, Lalan Singh said that the JDU had put up an impressive show in that state. The party had contested on 14 seats and won 7 seats in the assembly election. The BJP back-stabbed the JDU and merged 6 MLAs.

"We are part of NDA and if BJP will not allocate us adequate seats in Uttar Pradesh, we will contest the election alone. The JDU supporters are showing great enthusiasm," Lalan Singh said.

"We are committed to bring JDU to the number 1 position. Our aim is to achieve results like the 2010 Bihar assembly election, in 2025. Every member of the party will get their responsibility," Lalan Singh said in Karpoori Sabhagar while welcoming Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha into the JDU.

Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha joined the JDU on Saturday and has been given the post of state vice president of the party.

With little base in UP, the JDU and the VIP are likely to take some votes from the BJP, analysts say.

Meanwhile, Upendra Kushwaha, president of the JDU parliamentary board said: I am visiting every district in Bihar to strengthen the organizational structure of the party."

"Leaders in opposition parties said that I was angry over Lalan Singh's appointment as JDU national president but they are wrong. I am not angry. I and Lalan Babu are old friends and have worked together for a long time. We are committed to expand the JDU nationwide," Kushwaha said.