Congress adds RLD for UP push, Ajit to get aviation

[1]

With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections approaching, the Congress on Saturday joined hands with the Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal. RLD chief Ajit Singh on Saturday met Congress president Sonia Gandhi to seal the deal.

Though the party has been eyeing the agriculture ministry, it has been asked to choose between civil aviation and labour. It is most likely that it will end up with the civil aviation ministry. Vayalar Ravi, the Union minister for overseas Indian affairs, holds the additional portfolio of civil aviation. The RLD has five MPs in the Lok Sabha.

The RLD chief will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a couple of days. With the RLD joining the UPA coalition, the Congress gets a much-needed boost in western Uttar Pradesh. Sources disclosed that Mr Singh is likely get nearly 50 seats. There are 403 Assembly berths in the state.

While the RLD has 10 MLAs, the Congress has 20 legislators in the state. It was learnt that AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi has been keen on the alliance and senior leader Digvijay Singh, also the party general secretary, was holding talks with the RLD chief for the past few months.

Congress spin doctors felt that the party’s alliance with the RLD would help the Congress in western UP, dominated by jats and Muslims. During the last general elections, the RLD contested seven Lok Sabha berths and won five.

The Congress has 20 MPs from the state. Following the RLD alliance, the Congress is hoping to strengthen its position in this particular belt. The alliance is also likely benefit the RLD as far as Muslim votes were concerned.