Jayant invokes Jat pride, takes veiled swipe at Akhilesh
RLD chief seeks votes for Union minister Sanjeev Balyan who had defeated his father Ajit Singh in Muzaffarnagar in 2019
Politics never ceases to surprise and an example of the same was quite apparent on the BJP stage in Muzaffarnagar from which Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary invoked Jat pride in a bid to solicit the support of his community for Union minister Sanjeev Balyan, who had defeated Jayant’s father Ajit Singh by a slender margin in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Back then, Ajit Singh had contested the polls with the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party backing and, on Wednesday, despite making a detailed and a rather emotional mention of his father, Jayant reminded his Jat supporters to show “bada dil (big heart)” to ensure Balyan’s win as Jat pride was at stake.
“I have come before you to make a special appeal. Our pride is at stake and so you need to tell them (SP-Congress alliance candidate) of the power of our vote,” said Jayant Chaudhary, who appeared to be miffed with former chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s remark directed at him.
On Sunday after the joint opposition rally in Delhi, Akhilesh was asked to comment on his former ally Jayant Chaudhary sharing the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Meerut. He had then said, “Maybe, the PM asked him (Jayant) as to who was a chavanni.”
Before his sudden switch to the BJP-led-NDA, the RLD was an SP ally and at that time while rejecting speculations of joining NDA, Jayant had said, “What do they think? Am I a ‘chavanni’ who would switch loyalties?”
Responding to this remark on Wednesday, Jayant Chaudhary said, “Only a few days back, a former chief minister of U.P. made a statement about me. I have so far not spoken against him, and I will still not make any personal remarks against him even if he abuses me more. It makes no difference to me as I am with you all.”
After this, he added, “Woh log jaan jaaye main palta nahin hoon ... isse palatna nahi kehte, issey patakhni marna kahte hain.. Patkhani deni hai ... Mal vidya woh thodi bahut jaante hain, thodi bahut main bhi jaanta hoon ... (Let them (SP) people realise that I am no turncoat but adept at flooring my opponents. We must floor the rivals. If they know wrestling, so do I),” Jayant said.
The Muzaffarnagar Lok Sabha seat is said to have been the bone of contention that led to a bitter partition between the SP and the RLD. Jayant also referred to the Bharat Ratna conferred on his grandfather Chaudhary Charan Singh and the politics that has surrounded it since.
“After the last election, Chaudhary Ajit Singhji had come to Shahpur and that turned out to be last visit. Treasure those memories as the people of Muzaffarnagar and that of west U.P. had played a significant role in his life. And I know Chaudhary Ajit Singh’s soul would be happy. He wanted to see this day, this present-day India. He wanted efficient, honest, hardworking people to develop and that Chaudhary Charan Singh who worked for them should be accorded respect. And I know all those here, you have not stopped smiling when, in a grand function, the President presented to me the Bharat Ratna for Charan Singhji. This award is for you and all of Muzaffarnagar must be elated,” he said.
“By honouring Charan Singhji, the BJP government honoured you all. Please don’t leave any stone unturned to ensure a big win. BJP-RLD candidate Sanjeevji, knows that now his win is a given,” he said while hitting out at “those parties” which remained “mum” on the award for Charan Singh.
“They have silently worked against us. Those who couldn’t even welcome the award to a leader of Charan Singh’s stature aren’t worth anything,” he added.