Lucknow, Sep 2 (IANS): The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in Uttar Pradesh is slowly expanding its base, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

UP RLD president Ramashish Rai told IANS on Friday that the party will enrol five lakh members in the state under its ongoing membership drive.

The initiative is part of the party's preparation for the 2024 polls.

"We will give a tough fight to the BJP in 2024 with our increased vote base," he said.

Rai said that the appointment of Bhupendra Chaudhary, a member of the Jat community, as BJP's state president would not impact the RLD's prospects in any way in the Lok Sabha elections.

"The Jat community is always in favour of a government that works for the interest of farmers. They never like an anti-farmer government. At present, both the state government and the Centre are working in favour of corporates and the demands of farmers remain unaddressed even after the yearlong agitation," he said.

He said that union minister Ajay Misra Teni, whose involvement in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident where eight persons including four farmers were mowed down by his son's SUV has been established, continues to remain in office.

"This proves that farmers' sentiments are not a matter of concern for the BJP. RLD president Jayant Chaudhary has been holding Yuva Panchayats to interact with the youth and discuss the Agniveer scheme with them," he stated.