Disgruntled ex-BJP leader forms alliance with NDA to support for LS polls

The BJP on Thursday announced an alliance with the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party headed by MLA and former BJP leader Hanuman Beniwal on one seat in Rajasthan. Beniwal will contest Lok Sabha polls on Nagaur seat as RLP candidate, BJP's poll in-charge and union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said.

He said the RLP will be a part of the NDA. Jat leader Beniwal had floated his own party RLP ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections and the party won three seats, including one by Beniwal.

Beniwal said his party workers in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other parts will support the BJP to ensure saffron party candidates win and Narendra Modi again becomes the prime minister. "My roots have been in the BJP and, therefore, I am more comfortable with the BJP. I took the decision as my workers were in support of this alliance," he added. Rajasthan has 25 Lok Sabha seats and the BJP will contest on 24 and the RLP on one seat. The Congress has fielded former MP Jyoti Mirdha in Nagaur.

(With inputs from agencies.)