Cold comfort for RLD

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), which suffered a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, faces an existential crisis, according to critics. Party chief Ajit Singh has been busy combating eviction from a Lutyens' bungalow and furthering the cause of a memorial for his father. But his son Jayant Chaudhary seems to have found a new vocation after his defeat from Mathura. Chaudhary has been busy these days in an unlikely role as climate change activist, involved as he is with Climate Parliament and Globe India, organisations that work on environment-related issues. So it was interesting when at a recent discussion on climate change, Chaudhary held forth saying whereas climate change was an election issue in foreign countries, it had no takers in India. He cited the example of his own constituency where the voters would not even understand the relevance of climate change. To which an environmental activist sensibly countered him by saying if instead of greenhouse gases, the politician explained to farmers how climate change would impact their livelihood it surely would gain traction with rural voters. Ironically, Chaudhary's party claims to represent farmers' interests.