New Delhi: In a significant political development ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls, Samajwadi Party chief, Akhilesh Yadav has fielded Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) national president Jayant Chaudhary as the candidate for Rajya Sabha.
Reportedly, 43-year-old leader ‘will be the joint candidate for Rajya Sabha from Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal,’ Samajwadi Party said on Thursday morning.
The latest development comes following the speculation of Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimple Yadav was the likely choice for the upper house of parliament.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, former Congress leader, Kapil Sibal filed his nomination for Rajya Sabha polls with Samajwadi Party’s support.
The Rajya Sabha elections next month will include 11 seats from Uttar Pradesh out of 57 seats, spanning 15 states. Elections will be held on June 10.
In February-march this year, the RLD which contested Assembly polls in alliance with the Samajwadi Party won only eight out of 33 seats on which the party had fielded candidates. The SP bagged 111 seats, a significant improvement from its 2017 tally when it secured only 47 seats.
The BJP has retained power in Uttar Pradesh by winning 255 out of 403 constituencies, securing a 41.29 per cent vote share. Yogi Adityanath is the first Chief Minister in the last 37 years to return to power after completing a full term in the state.