January 19 All is not well with the Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal (SP-RLD) alliance in Western Uttar Pradesh as internal problems have erupted over ticket distribution.

The failure to enter into an alliance with Chandrasekhar Azad Ravan’s Bhim Army and in promoting RLD workers, who participated in the farmers’ protests, may create hurdles in the region.

RLD leader Jayant Chowdhury is meeting leaders of all districts on a regular basis to end the protests among cadres. A senior RLD leader confirmed that the party workers were unhappy in districts such as Muzaffarnagar and Meerut as some of their candidates had no role during the farmers’ protests.

Farmers’ pain

However, the leader said, farmers’ organisations such as BKU are supporting the RLD and they are hopeful that the Opposition will overcome such hurdles as farmers are unhappy with the present government over sugarcane arrears, prices of fertilisers and cases against farmers.

Social combinations created by the alliance are also being questioned.

“There’s no Muslim candidate for the alliance in Muzaffarnagar. But BSP has fielded many Muslim faces. Also, the BJP is working overtime to win Dalit votes. An alliance with Bhim Army should have closed such chances for the BJP. Such steps would have ensured a clean sweep for the alliance in the Western Uttar Pradesh,” an RLD worker told BusinessLine from Muzaffarnagar.

RLD workers also allege that some of the their party candidates are SP leaders of the area.

“They are contesting the election with RLD’s symbol. This was done by sidelining many senior leaders of the RLD. Some turncoats, who have until now been preaching about the benefits of the three farm laws, have been given tickets,” another worker said.

RLD hopes to resolve the issues

The alliance had changed a couple of candidates due to pressures from the ground. RLD leadership, however, believes that all such issues will be settled. Chaudhary has been maintaining that the poll will be fought on livelihood and other real issues and BJP has no chance left in the region. Farmers also approve this. A farmer leader from Shamli, Jitender Singh Hudda, said thousands of crores of rupees are still pending as dues for sugarcane farmers.

“We have no hope in this government. We hope that we will get a government that will clear all the arrears. The issues of farmers are the main concern in this election, including the hike in fertiliser prices and sugarcane arrears,” Hudda said. Meanwhile, BJP sealed the alliance with the Apna Dal and the Nishad Party here on Wednesday. BJP president JP Nadda said the three parties will fight the election together.

He said the Yogi Adityanath government has restored law and order in the State and it ensures social justice and development. The BJP also welcomed SP’s Aparna Yadav into its fold. Yadav is the daughter-in-law of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

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