Samajwadi Party And Congress Criticize BJP Over Jayant Chaudhary's Seating At NDA Meeting

The Samajwadi Party and Congress mocked Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Jayant Chaudhary after he was seen sitting on the benches during the NDA parliamentary meeting on Friday, unlike other allies who were seated on the dais. The RLD dismissed the incident as insignificant.

Photos from the meeting showed several National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners, including TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu, JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar, and LJP(R) leader Chirag Paswan, seated on stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In contrast, Jayant Chaudhary was seated among the elected MPs of the NDA.

The Samajwadi Party was quick to criticize the BJP and the RLD chief.

"Not giving Jayant Chaudhary a seat on stage is an insult to the grandson of Chaudhary Sahib, a revered leader among farmers. The BJP, which labels farmers as terrorists and traitors, has disrespected him. If Jayant Chaudhary values the respect of farmers and his own dignity, he should not tolerate this insult," said Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Rai.

Rai also invited Chaudhary to rejoin the INDIA bloc, stating, "He is highly respected in the Samajwadi Party. He should leave the NDA for his self-respect and the respect of farmers. The INDIA alliance is open to anyone who wants to join. Akhilesh Yadav welcomes everyone with open arms."

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai also accused the BJP of disrespecting its allies. "This is what happens to those who join the BJP. They are initially welcomed with bouquets and garlands, but are later humiliated and disrespected," he said.

In response to these remarks, RLD MLA Anil Kumar stated that seating arrangements are not a major concern. "When has the INDIA bloc shown us respect? Whether one sits above or below is not important. Politics should be conducted with a broad mind, not focused on trivial matters. RLD is a key constituent of the NDA and will continue to be," Kumar said.

When questioned about the Samajwadi Party's invitation to join the INDIA bloc, Kumar dismissed it, saying, "What need do they have now? How will they form the government? The NDA has a clear majority. Look at the BJP's numbers compared to the Congress. They are under a misconception. The government will last for five years."

In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the Jayant Chaudhary-led RLD won two seats in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP experienced its poorest performance.