Lucknow: Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary himself will not contest in alliance with Samajwadi Party (SP). Chaudhary made the announcement during the national executive meeting of the RLD on Friday. Jayant Chaudhary's announcement comes at a time when both CM Yogi Adityanath and SP president Akhilesh Yadav have said that they will contest the assembly elections from the seat the party will give.

According to media reports, a senior RLD leader has informed that Jayant Chaudhary will not contest the UP assembly elections. Jayant Chaudhary had earlier formally announced an alliance with the SP on Friday. Jayant Chaudhary had also arrived in Lucknow a day earlier to meet Akhilesh Yadav. During a press conference in Gonda, Akhilesh Yadav had told the media that the alliance between the two parties has been firmed up.

A leader close to Jayant Chaudhary had said that the party will field candidates in 24 seats in western UP districts. These include Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat districts. Moreover, eight SP leaders will lock horns with the RLD's election symbol. It has also been decided in the RLD meeting that a 'Village-Gali Dastak' programme will be organized between January 15 and February 12 to mark the birth anniversary of former party chief Ajit Singh.

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