New Delhi: The last of the BJP’s disaffected allies in Uttar Pradesh, the Apna Dal, has now come on board and will be a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the Lok Sabha elections.
The announcement came after a meeting between Apna Dal chief Anupriya Patel and BJP president Amit Shah in New Delhi Friday. Shah announced it on Twitter.
Sources said that the Apna Dal, which had been demanding three Lok Sabha seats in UP, has now accepted the BJP’s offer of two seats.
While one of the seats is Mirzapur, from where Patel will contest, the other seat and candidate will be finalised after another round of discussion between the two allies.
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Seat allocation was sticking issue
Patel had been hardening her stance since the beginning of the year over seat allocation. It was a time when other allies in the state such as the Om Prakash Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) too had openly threatened to quit the NDA. The BJP has since placated the SBSP.
Patel, a Kurmi leader, had held separate meetings with Congress leaders, including chief Rahul Gandhi, a few months ago. She had then said that the Apna Dal was “free to choose its path” and would take the decision on the alliance soon.
Uttar Pradesh is crucial as it elects 80 MPs for a House of 543.
In 2014 the state had sent 71 BJP MPs and two Apna Dal legislators to the Lok Sabha.
‘Ally troubles almost sorted’
Senior BJP leaders believe that after the IAF airstrikes in Balakot, the narrative in the country has changed to that of nationalism, which seems to be working in favour of the BJP.
Party leaders said that with the BJP’s poll prospects looking up, its allies are not taking any chances.
“Moreover, Shah had made attempts to pacify dissatisfied allies by addressing their grievances,” said a senior party leader.
Also read: To achieve ‘Mission 73’ in Uttar Pradesh, BJP to field Yogi’s ministers in Lok Sabha polls
Cut the Clutter from Varanasi underlined the irrelevance of the Congress in UP. The least it could have done is get out of the way when the professionals play on the Centre Court in Wimbledon. The Congress will be the second largest party and the logic of numbers will help it to protect its interests in the coalition. However, it should understand that the fusion of SP and BSP – leaders as well as workers – is giving the opposition a fighting chance in 2019. Or CM Mamata Banerjee in Bengal. Unclear why, like Kalidas, it continues to saw industriously on the bough on which it is seated.