Jayant Chaudhary: The making of a Jat leader
LUCKNOW: The biggest recognition for RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary came on Sept 20,
2021, when members from different Khaps gathered in Chhaprauli town of Baghpat
and ‘coronated’ him as ‘Bade Chaudhary’ after the death of his father Ajit Singh The title was earlier given to Jayant’s grandfather and former PM Charan Singh and
later to Ajit Singh. Jayant’s elevation as ‘Chaudhary’ meant he was now the political
representative of Khaps across India.
This was a big moment for the US-born young Jat leader, who had been struggling for
a political footing after Rashtriya Lok Dal was decimated by the BJP in 2014 and 2019
Lok Sabha and 2017 UP elections.
Jayant, then 42, had a herculean task at hand: resurrect the party and consolidate
RLD’s core Jat and Gurjar votes which accounted for around 40% of the total
electorate in 25 west UP districts. Ahead of the 2022 UP elections, Jayant decided to
bolster ties with the Samajwadi Party to consolidate Muslims, who were at
loggerheads with Jats after 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.
Sensing RLD’s political revival, BJP reached out to Jayant for a tie-up but he declined
the offer saying:
“Main koi chawanni nahi jo palat jaun”
(I am not a 25 paise coin who will flip).”