Ajit
Singh joins hands with Congress for Uttar Pradesh polls
Sunday December 11, 2011 10:50:59 AM,
IANS
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New Delhi:
The Congress Saturday got a boost for its prospects in Uttar
Pradesh with Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) joining hands
with it for the crucial assembly elections and also adding to
strength of the party-led government at the centre by deciding to
join the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
Ajit Singh met Congress president Sonia Gandhi Saturday as the two
parties finally reached an accord for the assembly polls in Uttar
Pradesh, expected in the first half of next year. The two parties
had protracted negotiations over the seat and inclusion of Ajit
Singh in the union cabinet.
Congress general secretary Janaradan Dwivedi announced the
alliance after Ajit Singh's meeting with Gandhi, who is also UPA
chairperson.
He said Ajit Singh had expressed his desire to join UPA. "He is
expected to write a letter today (Saturday) (to Gandhi) which
will complete the formalities," Dwivedi said.
Ajit Singh is expected to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon
amid possibility that he would made a union minister.
Congress leader Mohan Prakash indicated that Singh could joint the
cabinet, saying that like other partners in UPA, RLD will also get
its share in power.
Prakash hailed RLD joining the UPA and fighting Uttar Pradesh
assembly elections with Congress as a "game changer."
He also indicated that former union minister Rashid Masood and
some other senior leaders would join Congress soon.
Sources said RLD is expected to contest around 50 seats of the
state's total 403 seats as part of alliance.
RLD is the first party to join UPA after the 2009 general election
and is expected to increase comfort level to the UPA government in
the face of some of the other allies taking positions contrasting
from Congress on some policy initiatives.
The alliance is also expected to improve Congress prospects in
western Uttar Pradesh - the area of maximum influence of RLD.
Congress' efforts to emerge as a strong alternative to Bahujan
Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh are being spearheaded by party
general secretary Rahul Gandhi.
Ajit Singh, whose RLD has five members in the Lok Sabha, had
fought the last Lok Sabha polls in alliance with the Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP).
There has been speculation that Singh will given portfolio of
civil aviation.
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