As the date for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections is approaching, the restlessness of the people is also increasing. At this time all the parties are busy working out their political equations, but the party which will probably be the most relaxed at this time is undoubtedly its own party. Even if it is not, Apna Dal has its own importance in UP. Why does Apna Dal led by Anupriya Patel become so important before the Uttar Pradesh elections? After all, what is it that Anupriya Patel and her own party always prove to be the trump card in UP?
Patel and Nishad community have a significant influence in Uttar Pradesh. Therefore, Apna Dal also has its effect. They have the title of Kingmakers in Uttar Pradesh and due to this, the BJP was mainly successful in getting a thumping majority in the 2017 assembly elections.
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Anupriya Patel is the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally Apna Dal party. Representing Mirzapur in Lok Sabha since 2014, the 40-year old is currently serving her second term as a Lok Sabha member. Prior to the cabinet reshuffle, she was serving as the Union Minister of State for Health during the first term of the NDA government. Moreover, she was the former member of the Legislative Assembly for the Rohaniya constituency of the Legislature of Uttar Pradesh in Varanasi.
Patel kick-started her political journey in 1995 and joined the Apna Dal party formed by her father, late Sonelal Patel. He was a popular leader among Kurmis, a backward community with a presence in eastern UP and Bundelkhand.
Since his youth, Sonelal Patel fought against social inequality and caste exploitation prevailing in society. At the behest of Kanshi Ram, who shared the same vision as that of Patel to eradicate the caste-based discrimination, Patel contributed significantly in setting up of BSP.
Having not met the resolutions and objectives in BSP, he floated his own party Apna Dal on 4 November 1995 under social motivation. After his death in 2009, his wife Krishna Patel took over the seat of National President of Apna Dal. His daughter Anupriya Patel was elected to Lok Sabha in 2014 from Mirzapur (Lok Sabha constituency).
Ahead of the 2017 Assembly elections, disputes between the mother and daughter caught the limelight. “We have decided to expel Anupriya Patel on grounds of indiscipline. Ever since the Lok Sabha results, she has not been participating in the party meetings. The decision was taken in a joint meeting of the state, district and mandal level committees,” Krishna Patel said.
On the contrary, Anupriya had claimed that her mother has no authority to expel her. She said, “Documents related to my election as (party) president have already been submitted with the Election Commission in February for its consideration.”
In the aftermath of the rift, Anupriya floated her own party named Apna Dal (S) prior to the 2017 Assembly elections. The newly formed party allied with the BJP and contested 11 seats. Out of those 11 seats, Patel won 9.
AD(S) joined hands with Bhartiya Janata Party In the 2019 Indian general election. The party fielded two candidates Anupriya Patel Singh from Mirzapur and Pakauri Lal from Robertsganj and won both the seats.
Earlier this year, Patel had demanded a separate ministry to solve the problems being faced by the OBCs. Patel said, “We have demanded the formation of a ministry for OBC on the lines of the Ministry of Minorities to solve the problems of the backward classes.”
As per Patel, AD(S) party has been raising its voice in the Parliament for resolving the problems of farmers and is seeking proper implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations so that the farmers can get a fair price for their produce.
Patel led Apna Dal (S) has the vote share of Other Backward Classes (OBC) which includes a sizeable number of voters. The party claims that it has been benefitting from the support of Kurmis as well as non-Yadav OBC groups such as Kushwaha, Maurya, Nishad, Pal and Saini in UP.
In the last assembly as well as general elections, Kurmis in Uttar Pradesh have voted in large numbers for BJP. To ensure that the loyalty of voters remains with BJP, Anupriya Patel has been inducted into the cabinet. However, it will be a significant factor for Modi’s victory in UP assembly elections yet again.