Akhilesh Eyes Haryana's JJP to Fill RLD Void in Western UP Politics

• Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav met with Digvijay Chautala, Youth Wing President of Haryana's Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), to strategize for Western Uttar Pradesh.
• The meeting is significant after the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) joined the BJP, leaving a void for the opposition in the region.
• Akhilesh Yadav is exploring JJP as a potential alternative to RLD to consolidate the Jat vote bank ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.
• Jat voters constitute 15-20% of the population in Western UP districts like Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Mathura, and Saharanpur, influencing over 120 assembly seats.
• While JJP's direct impact in Western UP is limited, an alliance with SP could help split votes, especially among Jat and OBC communities, though it won't be decisive on its own.