RLD MLAs demand Bharat Ratna for Charan Singh

LUCKNOW: Amid speculation that the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), a key constituent of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, may join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the RLD has raised the demand for conferring the Bharat Ratna on former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh at the ongoing Budget session in the legislative assembly on Thursday.

RLD MLAs also mounted pressure on the BJP government to address farmers’ issues, including payment of arrears to sugarcane farmers, an increase in the kisan samman nidhi, supply of fertilisers, subsidies in electricity for agriculture, and checking the stray cattle menace.

RLD MLA from Shamli, Persann Kumar Chaudhary, said, “We are followers of Chaudhary Charan Singh, a prominent farmer leader in the country. Cutting across party lines, members of the BJP and other parties hold Charan Singh in high regard. He should be conferred the Bharat Ratna.”

Meanwhile, Thana Bhawan MLA, Ashraf Ali Khan said that RLD welcomes Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur and Lal Krishna Advani. At the same time, we demand that a resolution should be passed in the legislative assembly for conferring the Bharat Ratna on Chaudhary Charan Singh, he added. Meerapur MLA Chandan Chauhan too demanded the Bharat Ratna for Charan Singh.

Ashraf Ali Khan also said that the state government should launch a corpus fund of ₹5,000 crore to pay arrears to sugarcane farmers. He also urged the state government to order maintenance of roads in rural areas.

Meanwhile, even as RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary has maintained a studied silence on the issue of his party joining the NDA, a RLD MLA who preferred not to be named disclosed that talks between the RLD and BJP leadership are on, and the party chief will address the matter only after the BJP and RLD finalis the alliance deal.