RLD UP chief Rai quits party citing assault on Constitution

Lucknow: Citing democracy in “peril”, Ramashish Rai, the Uttar Pradesh RLD unit president, resigned from the party’s primary membership and his post on Friday and said the decision is guided by ideological and ethical reasons. Confirming the development to PTI, Rai said he submitted the resignation letter on Friday to Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) national president and Union Minister Chaudhary Jayant Singh and also shared it on social media. He told PTI that as of now, he has no plan to join any political party.

“However, in the future, I may float an organisation with like-minded people,” he said. The RLD is a key constituent of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and a partner in both the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Uttar Pradesh government.

It has two MPs in the Lok Sabha and nine legislators in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Rai was appointed president of the party’s state unit on May 27, 2022.

In his letter, he said democracy is currently in peril due to the assaults on the Constitution, democratic principles and constitutional institutions.

Citing these ideological and ethical reasons, he said he resigned and relinquished his primary membership of the party. In the letter, while highlighting his contributions to the organisation, he also addressed the issues faced by the youth,

students and farmers.