In a major political move, BJP has sorted out all the differences with their NDA ally from UP, Apna Dal. Not only will Apna Dal remain a crucial part of NDA, but also it is confirmed that Anupriya Patel will fight the elections on behalf of NDA in Mirzapur.
Following a meeting between the two parties, BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Amit Shah himself posted a tweet, confirming the same.
“फिर एक बार-मोदी सरकार” के संकल्प के साथ ‘भाजपा-अपना दल’ गठबंधन उत्तरप्रदेश में लोकसभा चुनाव साथ-साथ लडेगा।
अपना दल प्रदेश की दो सीटों पर चुनाव लडेगा, जिसमे श्रीमती @AnupriyaSPatel जी मिर्जापुर से चुनाव लड़ेंगी और दूसरी सीट पर दोनों दलों के नेता बैठकर चर्चा करेंगे। pic.twitter.com/kBbuAyBs7m
— Amit Shah (Modi Ka Parivar) (@AmitShah) March 15, 2019
According to the tweet, as a part of NDA Apna Dal will contest the Lok Sabha polls on 2 seats. One is the Mirzapur constituency, where Apna Dal supremo Anupriya Patel shall contest. The other shall be decided mutually by the two parties.
Apna Dal is a regional party, founded by Dr. Sonelal Patel. The party played a crucial role in the mammoth victory of NDA in the 2017 polls for Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, where the party had won a thumping majority of 325 seats.
However, following the unexpected setback in states like Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the NDA seemed to fall apart. Parties like TDP, Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP etc left NDA altogether, Shiv Sena behaved in a hostile manner, while parties like Apna Dal and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) threatened to leave NDA if their grievances were not met.
However, by retaining Apna Dal, BJP has proved that it is not the one to desert their true allies for mere political gains. In a crucial time like this, the party has ensured that the ruling coalition stays strong. Moreover, AGP also reconciled in time with the BJP.
On the other hand, it is the opposition who is now in neck deep trouble. Neither there is any unity amongst the parties which claimed to put up a formidable Mahagathbandhan, nor anybody is willing to cede ground for the other. To make matters worse, parties like Congress and TMC are seeing their own members defecting to the BJP, miffed on seeing their stance on Pulwama attacks. BJP has started to up its game as the country gets ready for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.