Lucknow: Charu Chaudhary, wife of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief and Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary, is likely to contest the upcoming assembly elections, according to reports — a move that could significantly reshape the party’s electoral strategy in western Uttar Pradesh.
Charu, the daughter-in-law of former Union minister and RLD founder Ajit Singh, has so far stayed away from electoral politics. Her entry would mark the political debut of another member of the Chaudhary family, which traces its legacy to former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, the tallest Jat leader of his era.
The buzz around her candidature comes at a time when the RLD, a key NDA ally, is working to consolidate its position in western UP ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. The region’s Jat-dominated belt has been the party’s traditional stronghold, and a Chaudhary family member in the fray could energise the cadre and sharpen the party’s claim over its core vote base.
Separately, Jayant Chaudhary — who holds the Skill Development and Entrepreneurship portfolio as a Union Minister of State — flagged off solar-powered skill vans earlier this week. The mobile vans will take vocational training to rural and remote areas, part of the government’s push to make skilling accessible beyond cities.
The minister also launched the National Apprenticeship Mela 2026, aimed at connecting youth with apprenticeship opportunities across industries. Officials said the mela would be organised across districts to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers.
Political observers say the twin developments — a possible family entry into electoral politics and the high-visibility skilling push — signal the RLD’s intent to expand its footprint. While the party draws strength from the farm belt of western UP, the skilling agenda allows it to speak to aspirational young voters.
The RLD was founded in 1996 by Ajit Singh after he parted ways with the Janata Dal. Under his leadership, and now Jayant’s, the party has remained a significant force in the sugarcane belt of western Uttar Pradesh, championing farmers’ issues and rural development.
Jayant Chaudhary took over the party’s reins after his father’s death in 2021 and led the RLD into an alliance with the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The move gave the party a stake in the central government, with Jayant inducted as a Union Minister of State.
The RLD’s role within the NDA will be crucial in the coming months as seat-sharing discussions begin for the UP assembly polls. For now, the party leadership has not officially confirmed Charu Chaudhary’s candidature, but the speculation alone has set political circles abuzz.
Whether Charu Chaudhary takes the electoral plunge will become clear in the coming weeks as the party finalises its candidate list. For now, her name has added a fresh layer of intrigue to the already heated political landscape of Uttar Pradesh.
