Shahid Siddiqui, the National Vice President of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), has resigned from the party and relinquished his primary post following the decision of Jayant Chaudhary, the party's leader, to ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
In his resignation letter addressed to RLD National President Jayant Singh, Siddiqui emphasized the critical importance of speaking out against threats to India's Constitution and democratic structure. He stated that remaining silent in such circumstances would be a grave sin.
Siddiqui further elaborated on his decision, explaining that he had delayed his resignation initially to avoid being seen as opposing the Bharat Ratna conferred upon Chaudhry Charan Singh, a move he had welcomed. However, he highlighted his concerns over recent attacks on elected Chief Ministers and opposition parties during the election period, viewing them as assaults on Indian democracy and its foundational institutions.
The resignation comes in the wake of RLD's decision to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of Bharat Ratna for Chaudhry Charan Singh. Under this alliance, RLD is slated to contest two Lok Sabha seats, Baghpat and Bijnor, and has been assured a Rajya Sabha seat.
The RLD, known for its influence in western Uttar Pradesh and its strong support among the Jat community, presents an opportunity for the BJP to bolster its presence in this region ahead of the elections. However, Siddiqui's resignation underscores the internal dissent within the party over its alliance choices and raises questions about its ideological coherence.
