RLD announces new Parliamentary Board with veteran KC Tyagi at helm
New Delhi, June 30
on Tuesday announced a 16-member Parliamentary Board which will be headed by veteran politician from Haryana and former MP, K. C. Tyagi. It will also comprise four special invitees, according to a social media post shared by party President and Union Minister of State Jayant Singh.
"Pleased to constitute the RLD Parliamentary Board, which will be headed by ex MP, Shri K C Tyagi ji. I will serve as a member on this committee featuring party organisation functionaries, representatives, old party loyalists and some eminent citizens as well!" he wrote on X.
The RLD was founded by Chaudhary Ajit Singh, son of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, as a breakaway faction of the Janata Dal.
Ajit Singh, Jayant's father, was elected as a Congress candidate but later resigned and formed the Bharatiya Kisan Kamgar Party, which evolved into RLD in 1999. He also served as Minister of Agriculture (2001-2003) and Minister of Civil Aviation (2011-2014).
The party aims to represent the interests of farmers, peasants, and socially and economically weaker sections of society and positions itself on socialist and secular principles.
In the 2024 general elections, RLD joined the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and won both the seats it contested, Bijnor and Baghpat, in Uttar Pradesh.
Among the party Parliamentary Board members announced Tuesday were former MPs, ex-ministers, and MLAs, which was reconstituted to strengthen the organisation and its parliamentary strategy, according to an RLD statement.
Born in a farmer's family in Morta village of Ghaziabad in 1950, K. C. Tyagi began his political journey from student politics to later become a Parliamentarian. He marked his debut with the socialist movement and was later the chief spokesperson of the Janata Dal and later, the Janata Dal (United). He was among the leaders who raised their voices against Sanjay Gandhi during the Emergency.
Tyagi was a Member of Parliament from the Hapur Lok Sabha seat from 1989 to 1991. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Bihar between 2013 and 2016. He is considered an able analyst and political strategist.
Tyagi resigned from his position as JD-U national spokesperson in 2024, citing personal reasons. This year, on March 22, he joined the RLD days after resigning from the JD-U.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting move. RLD is clearly preparing for a bigger role in Uttar Pradesh politics. Tyagi's experience in the Janata Parivar is huge. But will this really help the party connect with farmers again? The 2024 alliance with BJP was controversial for a party that claims socialist and farmer-friendly roots.
K.C. Tyagi ji is a respected voice in Indian politics. His work during the Emergency shows his commitment to democracy. However, I hope this Parliamentary Board focuses on real issues like MSP, crop insurance, and loan waivers for farmers. The RLD has a great legacy from Charan Singh ji, and they must not forget their core base.
Honestly, RLD seems to be trying to stay relevant in a crowded political space. Jayant Chaudhary is a capable leader, but joining NDA was a huge shift. Tyagi joining gives them a strong orator, but I'm not sure if the party can truly reclaim its old identity. Time will tell.
Good to see the RLD organizing itself ahead of the next elections. Tyagi ji's experience with national-level politics will be valuable for the party. But I hope the board doesn't just become a club of old-timers; they need to bring in younger voices from the farming communities too. Farmers need genuine representation, not just political maneuvering.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.