New Delhi [India], March 22 : Former Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi on Sunday formally joined the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), pledging to carry forward Chaudhary Charan Singh's legacy.
Tyagi said the move reflects continuity rather than change, emphasising there is no difference between JD(U) and RLD, and recalling past efforts by Nitish Kumar and Chaudhary Ajit Singh to unite politically.
Speaking to ANI, Tyagi said, "I began my political career with the Lok Dal itself. This is just its original form; there's nothing new in it... We will help fulfil the dream that Chaudhary Charan Singh left behind... There is no difference between JD(U) and RLD. There was a time when Nitish Kumar and Chaudhary Ajit Singh were set to form a party together. There is no difference between these two."
Tyagi formally joined the RLD in the national capital in the presence of RLD President and Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary. The veteran socialist leader, a founding member of JD(U), had resigned from the party on March 17.
On Wednesday, Tyagi said that he did not participate in the latest membership drive of the party, clarifying that there is no personal friction between him and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar due to the Rajya Sabha seat allocation.
Tyagi, a founding member of the party since its inception, maintained that his "relationship with Nitish Kumar and the Bihar JDU remains the same".
"I am the founder of Janata Dal (United) alongside George Fernandes, Sharad Yadav, Nitish Kumar, and Digvijay Singh... I have been a member ever since. However, I did not participate in this membership drive," he said.
The senior leader also addressed speculations regarding his parliamentary ambitions, denying that his exit was linked to a desire for a seat in the Rajya Sabha. "There is not a single instance of me trying for a Rajya Sabha ticket. Even in 2013, Nitish Kumar called me and offered me a ticket," said Tyagi.
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