LUCKNOW: Chinks appeared in the INDI Alliance in Uttar Pradesh a day after Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) announced its candidates for three eastern UP seats, including Phoolpur, Mirzapur and Kaushambi, as the Samajwadi Party snapped its ties with the ally which was with it since 2022.
While interacting with media persons here on Thursday, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav announced his party’s decision to end its alliance with Apna Dal(K), led by Krishna Patel, wife of prominent Kurmi leader late Sonelal Patel.
“We had joined hands with Apna Dal(K)in the 2022 assembly polls but the alliance is no longer in place,” said Akhilesh Yadav. However, within a few hours of deciding to contest three seats and announcing candidates, the Apna Dal(K) got a snub from Yadav who called the decision ‘unilateral’ and announced a candidate from the Mirzapur seat on Wednesday.
With Thursday’s development, Apna Dal(K) becomes the third ally after OP Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) and Jayant Chaudhury-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), with whom SP could not go along. SP MLC Swami Prasad Maurya has already left the party to float his own political outfit claiming ignorance in the party.
Apna Dal(K) is a breakaway faction of Apna Dal which was formed by Sone Lal Patel. After his demise, the party witnessed a vertical split with younger daughter Anupriya Patel heading Apna Dal (Sonelal) and has been a part of the NDA since 2014. The other faction is Apna Dal(K).
While the SP leaders considered the announcement by Apna Dal(K) a move to mount pressure on the INDIA bloc partner for a poll ticket from its quota of 63 seats, the Apna Dal(K) general secretary claimed that the decision was after taking Congress into confidence.
‘Cong aware of decision’
While the SP leaders considered the announcement by Apna Dal(K) a move to mount pressure on the INDIA bloc partner for a poll ticket from its quota of 63 seats, the Apna Dal(K) general secretary claimed that the decision was taken after taking Congress into confidence.