Here's Why RLD's Jayant Chaudhary, in Alliance With Akhilesh Yadav for UP Polls, Will Skip Voting Today

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary will not cast his vote on Thursday in the first phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, voting for which is underway, the party has announced.

Chaudhary, who is a voter from the Mathura region, is busy with his election rally and will hence give the voting a miss, the RLD said. Chaudhary’s RLD and Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party are in alliance for the state elections.

Earlier in the morning, Chaudhary had issued an appeal to the people of the state to come out in large numbers and cast their votes. He said the people should vote to elect a government that fulfils their aspirations. “I request each and every one of you to step out of your houses and utilize your right to vote. Elect a government that cares about you. Please also inspire the people around you to do the same,” he said in a video issued on the party’s Twitter account.

The RLD chief further stated: “Before casting votes, do recall what happened in the last five years in the state… elect a government which cares about you, talks about your rights, keep the society united, provides opportunities to youth, respects and protects the women and turns diversity into our strength to work for the development of state and the country.”

However, Chaudhary’s abstinence from exercising his franchise gave cannon fodder to the BJP which called his move “irresponsible”. BJP’s Amit Malviya tweeted: “How responsible is it for Jayant Chaudhary to not go out and vote because he has an election rally? What message is he sending? Has he already abandoned the idea of winning? Why should people come out and even consider the RLD when he isn’t serious about casting his vote?”

While the RLD leader stayed away, his wife cast her vote. Sharing her photo, Chaudhary tweeted that she had cast her vote from Mathura.

The voting for the first phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections began in 58 seats this morning at 7 am. The seats are spread across 11 districts. The polling will conclude at 6 pm.

The districts where polling is happening on Thursday include Mathura, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahar, Hapur, Shamli, Baghpat, Aligarh, Agra and Gautam Buddha Nagar.

The remaining six phases of the Uttar Pradesh elections will be held on February 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will happen on March 10.

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