Rashtriya Lok Dal introduces JGDM formula to strengthen grip in western Uttar Pradesh

According to a report by the Aaj Tak news outlet, work has begun on a new political strategy by the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) to strengthen its political ground in western Uttar Pradesh. Against SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's PDA and Asaduddin Owaisi-Chandrashekhar Azad's Dalit-Muslim equation, RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary wants to expand his traditional peasant vote bank through the 'JGDM' (Jat, Gurjar, Dalit, and Muslim) equation.

Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections 2027, the RLD is engaged in crafting a new kind of social engineering to become a kingmaker in western UP politics. Jayant, who is carrying forward the legacy of farmer politics of Chaudhary Charan Singh and Chaudhary Ajit Singh, now wants to establish his grip among Gurjar, Dalit, and Muslim communities, moving beyond the party's traditional Jat base.

Jayant Chaudhary's endeavor is to expand social equations along with farmer politics in western UP. For this, the party is engaged in activating the organization village by village. From forming 10-member teams in every village to minority conventions, several political implications of the RLD's preparation are being drawn.

Rashtriya Lok Dal's JGDM formula is made up of four letters, representing four communities. In RLD's JGDM, J stands for Jat, G stands for Gurjar, D stands for Dalit, and M stands for Muslim. The RLD wants to strengthen its organizational base among all these four communities. For this, work has begun on a plan to form special teams of 10 members each in the villages of western UP. These teams will dialogue with people in the villages and convey the ground feedback directly to the party leadership.

According to the party, its objective is not just to prepare a caste equation, but also to connect different communities with the organization. RLD spokesperson Rohit Agarwal says that the party has never done politics on the basis of caste and religion. According to him, the opposition tries to limit the RLD to its traditional vote bank.

Rohit Agarwal says that Jats, Gurjars, Dalits, and minority Muslims are our core voters. But the Rashtriya Lok Dal has always spoken of thirty-six biradaris (all communities). We come from the ideology of Chaudhary Charan Singh. Our politics has been for the development of farmers, laborers, the poor, and people associated with agriculture and farming. He said that no convention of the party has been limited to any specific caste or religion. The RLD wants to move forward taking all communities along.

An important part of the RLD's new strategy is to strengthen the organization at the village level. The party wants to establish direct dialogue in rural areas by forming special teams of 10 members. Through these teams, the party will try to understand local problems, farmers' demands, youth employment, and the expectations of different communities.

In fact, the Jat farmer community has been the traditional base of the RLD in western UP, but in several past elections, new social equations have also emerged in the region's politics. In such a situation, the party wants to broaden its base. Jayant Chaudhary's effort is that the RLD's identity should not remain limited to Jat politics alone, but it should be established as a party connecting farmers, laborers, and various social communities.

A convention was held in Meerut to woo the Muslim community. An important example of this strategy of the RLD was the workers' convention of the minority cell organized in Meerut. In this convention organized at SGM Garden on Thursday, a large number of workers and office-bearers of the minority community from 9 districts of the state participated. Strengthening the organization and preparations for the 2027 assembly elections were discussed at the convention. Party leaders gave a message of brotherhood and social unity.

RLD's National General Secretary (Organization) Trilok Tyagi said that the party is preparing for all 403 seats in the state for the upcoming assembly elections. He said the party's effort will be to increase Jayant Chaudhary's strength so that a situation can be created to form a full-majority government in the state. Regarding the alliance with the BJP, he said that the RLD runs on the principles of Mahatma Gandhi and Chaudhary Charan Singh.