Elections 2019: Why Apna Dal is crucial for BJP, Congress in Uttar Pradesh
- BJP is betting on Anupriya Patel's Apna Dal (Sonelal) to corner a share of Kurmi votes—traditionally an SP votebank
- Congress has struck a seat-sharing deal with Krishna Patel's Apna Dal in its attempts to rally anti-BJP parties in UP
New Delhi: The three-cornered electoral battle among Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and the grand alliance of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh has forced the two national parties to look for alliances with smaller parties particularly those which a section of other backward class (OBC) voter base.
Both the BJP and the Congress have reached out to the two factions of Apna Dal. While Lok Sabha MP Anupriya Patel-led Apna Dal (Sonelal) continues to be a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), her mother Krishna Patel-led Apna Dal earlier this week struck a seat-sharing deal with the Congress.
Both BJP and Congress have both given 2 seats each to the two factions of Apna Dal. While Anupriya Patel will contest from Mirzapur and field candidate in one more seat, the faction led by her mother, Krishna Patel, will field candidates on Pilibhit and Gondia Lok Sabha seats.
Both the regional parties have a fair share of following among Kurmi voters in eastern Uttar Pradesh. In 2014, the undivided Apna Dal had managed to win two seats in UP because of the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but this time, the rivalry between mother and daughter could have an impact on the outcome.
“Patel or Kurmi voters are divided between Samajwadi Party (SP) and Apna Dal followers. The BJP’s aim is to get a share of votes which can supplement the existing voter base of BJP to win the seat. Last time the strategy had worked but this time there is a tussle between Krishna Patel and Anupriya Patel. The electoral contest will be crucial in at least four seats of eastern Uttar Pradesh,” said a senior BJP leader based in Lucknow.
For the Congress, an alliance with Apna Dal is mainly to consolidate its support base through smaller regional parties. After facing an electoral erosion in 2014, when it won only two out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state, Congress is looking to align with several smaller parties with regional appeal to bolster its chances.
“We are reaching out to all parties which want to defeat the BJP. While the bigger opposition parties have already formed an alliance in the states, we are bringing smaller regional parties on board. Coalition with Apna Dal is in the same context. We are hopeful that they will improve the alliance's chances in the seats they are contesting and the near by areas,” a senior Congress leader from Lucknow said, requesting anonymity.
In addition to Apna Dal, Congress is also in an alliance with Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) which too has a strong OBC support base in the state. The party was floated by former state minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, once a close confidante of BSP chief Mayawati. Congress has left five parliamentary seats for JAP.
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Business NewsElectionsLok Sabha Elections 2019Elections 2019: Why Apna Dal is crucial for BJP, Congress in Uttar Pradesh
First Published:19 Mar 2019, 08:37 PM IST
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