Lucknow: Days after trading barbs with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav over his controversial “chavanni to rupiya” remark, BJP ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is all set to shift into election mode in western Uttar Pradesh, with a renewed push to consolidate not just Jats but also the politically influential Gurjar community.In what is being seen as its first major show of strength ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, the Jayant Chaudhary-led party will hold a massive ‘Swabhiman Rally’ in Saharanpur on Sept 3. The event, planned in Rampur Maniharan assembly constituency, is expected to showcase RLD’s growing social coalition and test its organisational muscle in a region crucial to its political fortunes. The seat, significantly, is represented by BJP’s Dalit MLA Devendra Kumar Nim.Party sources said Jayant has tasked Bijnor MP Chandan Chauhan, a prominent Gurjar face in the party, with overseeing preparations for the rally. Chauhan has been camping in the region, mobilising workers and supporters to ensure a strong turnout, sources said.Earlier this year in March, Akhilesh campaigned in Dadri—a historic Gurjar stronghold—while offering prayers and performing an abhishek with Ganga water at the statue of Samrat Mihir Bhoj, a ninth-century Gurjar ruler.RLD’s outreach carries significance even as the party seeks to broaden its appeal beyond its traditional Jat base and make deeper inroads into the Gurjar electorate, an influential electoral bloc in western UP.“In politics, opportunities and circumstances come and go. The Swabhiman Rally is about the self-respect of our youth, farmers and society. Under Jayant Chaudhary’s leadership, people can be assured that their voice will be heard and their issues fought for,” Chauhan recently said.RLD Minority Wing state general secretary Aatir Rizvi described the event as the party’s first major electoral exercise ahead of the state polls due early next year.Significantly, it is being held just days before an SP rally scheduled in Saharanpur on Sept 6 was called off. While SP attributed the cancellation to adverse weather conditions, RLD spokesperson Rohit Agarwal claimed the decision reflected growing resentment among Jat voters over Akhilesh’s remarks.The controversy erupted after Akhilesh said, “Who knows where these alliance partners came from? We turned a chavanni into a rupiya, and even then they left us.”“Targeting the Jat community and claiming that you taught us the ABCD of politics? I’ve seen this arrogance up close, and such behaviour only leads to downfall,” he had retorted.Beyond the rhetoric, the Swabhiman Rally is expected to serve as a political message that RLD remains a significant player in western UP’s caste calculus. While the party currently has only one Gurjar MLA, Madan Bhaiyya (Madan Singh Kasana) from Khatauli, it sees considerable scope for expanding its footprint among the community.BJP presently enjoys an upper hand among Gurjar legislators, with four MLAs from the community—Surendra Singh Tomar (Meerut South), Nand Kishore Gurjar (Loni), Tejpal Singh Nagar (Dadri) and Kirat Singh Gurjar (Gangoh). Samajwadi Party, meanwhile, has just one Gurjar MLA, Atul Pradhan from Sardhana in Meerut.
