RLD to contest 2017 UP Assembly polls alone: Ajit Singh

Mathura: Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) on Monday said it will contest the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh alone, claiming that people were fed up with the corruption in the regimes of Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party and looking for a change.

"We will have no truck with any party and would contest UP Vidhan Sabha election all alone. We even would not go for seat adjustment," RLD National President Ajit Singh told reporters here.

Narrating his impression after his tour of 15 districts, he claimed that people were desperately looking for a change as they were fed up with the corrupt regimes of Mayawati and Mulayam Singh.

Stressing that to ensure free and fair elections in the state, he said, Election Commission would have to get at least 70 per cent of the station house officers (SHO) transferred.

He suggested that candidates should contest panchayat elections on party symbol to prevent horse trading after the polls.

Singh accused the ruling SP government of not providing relief to farmers who have faced heavy devastation of crop due to hails. "Even the interest on loan has not been waived off."

He held BJP government at the Centre responsible for rejection of reservation to Jats by Supreme court, saying "the Union government, lead by BJP, has not pursued the case of reservation to Jats in apex court properly."

Singh also attacked the Modi government for failing to keep its promises saying "if the petrol prices had not come down, the situation would have been deplorable. A poor man now has been forced to consume chapati with salt as pulses were beyond their reach."

The RLD chief termed SP rule in UP as a family affair and said there was no government in the state and alleged that 22 people from a "family" were engaged in looting the state.

On?the corruption charges against Chief Engineer of Noida Yadav Singh, he said, as both Mayawati and Mulayam were involved in the scam, so nobody wants a?CBI enquiry.

"So far, Mayawati has maintained silence on the issue," he added.

RLD national chief also said "in election manifesto, SP had promised to waive off loans upto Rs 50,000 and 18 per cent reservation to minorities, however, these have not been implemented."

He alleged that Mulayam and Mayawati were spreading casteism and looting people.

Singh also attacked Mulayam for supporting governments at the Centre saying, earlier, he was supporting Congress-led government, now he would be supporting Modi government by fielding 260 candidates in Bihar Assembly polls to divide anti-BJP votes.