NEW DELHI, December 12 (PTI) : RLD, with five members in the Lok Sabha, today formally joined the UPA government. RLD chief Ajit Singh will be the new civil aviation minister. With RLD joining the ruling coalition, its strength has gone up from 272 to 277 MPs. “Ajit Singh gave a letter to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi stating that RLD would like to join the alliance and the latter has agreed to this,” Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh told reporters here.
Ajit Singh also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, adding more fuel to talks of his imminent induction into the Union Cabinet.
Digvijaya Singh is in-charge of Congress affairs in Uttar Pradesh. Former Union minister and Samajwadi Party MP Rasheed Masood also joined the Congress ahead of the UP elections. This is likely to help the party woo Muslim voters.
RLD will contest 45 of the 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh Assembly in the forthcoming polls in alliance with Congress.
Ajit Singh also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, adding more fuel to talks of his imminent induction into the Union Cabinet.
Digvijaya Singh is in-charge of Congress affairs in Uttar Pradesh. Former Union minister and Samajwadi Party MP Rasheed Masood also joined the Congress ahead of the UP elections. This is likely to help the party woo Muslim voters.
RLD will contest 45 of the 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh Assembly in the forthcoming polls in alliance with Congress.
