Hanuman Beniwal’s RLP alliance with Chandra Shekhar Azad’s ASP in Rajasthan and BSP-GGP alliance in both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have been emerging as a third pole of the bipolar elections in these three states, as many rebel leaders of BJP and Congress are looking to contest election from these alliances.
These alliances in three states – Rajasthan, MP, and Chhattisgarh – are attractive options for the rebels of both national parties, owing to the caste groups they cater to.
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) is a party with its base among Jats, the community which influences the outcome of 40 assembly seats while Azad Samaj Party (ASP) is making inroads in the Dalit vote bank. Similarly, BSP, a flagbearer of the Dalit cause has aligned with the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP), a regional outfit with influence among Gondi people, a major tribal group, in both MP and Chhattisgarh.
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The caste combinations of these alliances in these three states are also attractive prepositions for the rebels to settle scores with their erstwhile parties.
The BSP has also given a ticket to a Congress rebel from the Nagod constituency Yadvendra Singh and a BJP rebel from the Lahar seat Rasal Singh.
On the back of the rebels, the Mayawati-led party, which enjoys influence in the Gwalior-Chambal area and has given tickets to rebels of both the key parties in the state, has now got some strong candidates in some seats.
Similarly, RLP, which has so far announced 10 candidates for Rajasthan assembly polls, plans to field candidates on all 200 assembly seats with its alliance partner which could also include the BTP.
Sources in the RLP said that they are in touch with many rebels of BJP and Congress and can consider fielding them as its candidates on many assembly seats.
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