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National

Bonhomie between SP and RLD

Ajit Singh

Mulayam Singh

New Delhi: Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal, which had contested the Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the BJP-led NDA, appears to be moving towards the Samajwadi Party with the sugarcane issue becoming the bonding factor.

On Wednesday, Ajit Singh received SP chief Mulayam Singh at his residence and they discussed the common strategy on the sugarcane issue to be raised in Parliament.

“The issue of sugarcane farmers is very significant as the Centre’s ordinance [which calls for uniform pricing of sugarcane] threatens their very existence. We are fighting for the cause of sugarcane farmers right now,” Mr. Mulayam Singh said when asked whether the SP and the RLD were planning to come together in the long run over the sugarcane issue.

The SP chief said, “Whenever such situation arises, we come together. We had come together in 1977 and 1989 and if the situation becomes worse, we will meet again.”

Though Mr. Mulayam Singh sidestepped queries on any possible alignment of forces with the RLD, the two in fact had fought the 2004 Lok Sabha elections together, where the SP had given 10 seats to Mr. Ajit Singh, of which he had went on to win on three.

SP general secretary Amar Singh, who was also present during the 45-minute meeting, said, “Sugarcane does not belong to the UPA or the NDA. It is the issue of poor farmers and if need arises then we will even go to [BJP leader] L.K. Advani [for garnering support].” — PTI

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