RLD considers Muslim MLA for Uttar Pradesh cabinet position

The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is looking to nominate Ashraf Ali Khan, one of its two Muslim MLAs, for a ministerial position in Uttar Pradesh. This comes as speculation grows that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath may expand his cabinet soon. Currently, the RLD has nine MLAs, with Anil Kumar, a Dalit member, serving in the cabinet. Khan gained attention after defeating BJP's Suresh Rana by around 11,000 votes in the 2022 elections. Rana was previously associated with the controversial Muzaffarnagar riots, which impacted relations between various communities in the region. RLD previously struggled in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2017 assembly elections. However, it regained some support in the 2022 elections, winning nine seats with help from the Muslim community while aligned with the Samajwadi Party. RLD's other Muslim MLA, Ghulam Mohammad, also won his seat in 2022 against BJP's Maninder Pal. Interestingly, both Muslim MLAs voted for the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections in February last year. This was after RLD joined the BJP-led NDA ahead of the 2024 elections, following the awarding of Bharat Ratna to former PM Charan Singh, who is the grandfather of RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary. Jayant currently serves as a minister in the Modi government. By proposing Khan for the ministerial berth, RLD aims to strengthen its relationship with the Muslim community, which is influential in many western UP constituencies. Analysts believe this move could help address concerns of perceived marginalization under BJP rule and promote inclusive politics in preparation for the 2027 assembly elections. RLD's leadership feels a Dalit-Muslim alliance could bolster their electoral strategy moving forward.