‘We were mum on students’ stir’: U.P. RLD chief quits, flags corruption

Rashtriya Lok Dal’s (RLD) state president in Uttar Pradesh Ramashish Rai on Friday (August 7, 2026) resigned from the party citing ideological and moral reasons for the decision adding due to continuous “attack on institutions amid rising corruption” in the country democracy and constitutional values is under threat.

In a letter addressed to the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Education and party‘s national president Jayant Chaudhary, Mr. Rai said democracy in the country was being usurped by the financially powerful and influential sections with the society being divided on caste and religious lines for electoral gains. Mr. Rai, added matters of public good like education and employment is being neglected. 

Speaking to The Hindu in Lucknow, Mr. Rai, said the way RLD, a party known to take positions on issues of public interest stopped making interventions over core matters, forced to him to take the step of resigning from the position and the party. “The RLD is the party formed by late former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh Ji, our leader Ajit Singh Ji, used to take clear stand for farmers, youth and even it amounts to going against the wind. But we were silent on the burning issue of students, youth during the recent protests. It was never the RLD way of politics, I was pained. I came to social service during the anti-emergency movement, my inner voice forced me take today’s decision in the wider interest of the society and Indian democracy,” he told The Hindu. 

Asked whether he will join any political force, Mr. Rai said any decision will be taken after consulting supporters and well-wishers. “The main concern to save the democratic and socialist fabric of our country,” said the former RLD State chief. 

The RLD, is the largest alliance partner of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in U.P. Under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) it won two seats in the Lok Sabha polls in 2024 and had one Rajya Sabha MP. The party’s strength in 403 members U.P. assembly is nine MLAs and won one MLC in the Council.