Lucknow: BJP ally Rashtriya Lok Dal on Saturday appointed its national secretary Anupam Mishra as the party’s working state president in Uttar Pradesh. The appointment came a month after the party had dissolved its state unit, paving the way for an organisational overhaul to strengthen its footprint beyond the traditional strongholds.Mishra will work alongside incumbent state president Ramashish Rai, creating a dual leadership structure which party believes will accelerate organisational expansion and election preparations across the state.Mishra said, “It is certainly an important responsibility. I would try to deliver the best of results as per the expectations of my party leadership.”The appointment reflects RLD’s attempt to reposition itself within the BJP-led NDA in Uttar Pradesh and emerge as a stronger political player ahead of the assembly elections.Party insiders said the appointment underscores RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary’s emphasis on organisation-building at a time when the party is seeking to transform itself from a regionally concentrated force into a statewide entity.Mishra, a Brahmin from Lucknow, joined the RLD in 2020 and steadily rose through the ranks to become its national secretary. Considered a confidant of Jayant Chaudhary, he has been closely associated with the functioning of “Team RLD”, an organisational initiative designed to increase the party’s presence not only in western UP but in the eastern districts too where RLD traditionally has had limited influence.His involvement in organisational work in Jharkhand further strengthened his credentials as a strategist rather than merely an electoral face.Political observers note that Mishra’s elevation sends a message that RLD leadership is prioritising organisational capability and loyalty over conventional caste or regional calculations while distributing responsibilities.RLD state spokesperson Mayank Trivedi said the leadership had made it clear that important roles in the party would be assigned on the basis of hard work, dedication, loyalty and competence.The appointment comes at a crucial juncture for the RLD, which has been attempting to shed its image as a party confined largely to western Uttar Pradesh. Since joining the NDA, the party has sought to leverage its alliance with the BJP while simultaneously building an independent organisational identity across the state.
