UP RLD chief Ramashish Rai resigns, says democracy is 'in peril'

Ramashish Rai has resigned as the Uttar Pradesh unit president of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and quit the party's primary membership on Friday, 7 August, saying democracy was "in peril" owing to alleged assaults on the Constitution and democratic institutions.

Confirming the development to PTI, Rai said he submitted his resignation to RLD national president and Union minister Jayant Chaudhary on Friday and also shared the letter on social media.

He said he had no immediate plans to join another political party. "However, in the future, I may float an organisation with like-minded people," Rai told PTI.

The RLD is a key constituent of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and is part of both the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Uttar Pradesh government. Rai was appointed president of the party's Uttar Pradesh unit on 27 May 2022.

In his resignation letter, Rai said democracy was under threat because of attacks on the Constitution, democratic values and constitutional institutions, and that his decision to step down was driven by ideological and ethical considerations.

Highlighting his contributions to the party, he also referred to issues affecting youths, students and farmers.

Rai further said Indian democracy appeared to be increasingly influenced by money power and powerful sections of society. He also expressed concern over what he described as a "growing tendency to divide society" on the basis of caste, sub-caste and community.

With PTI inputs