BJP Announce Alliance With Apna Dal, Nishad Party For UP Elections

New Delhi, Jan 19: Ahead of the much-anticipated assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday announced National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state with Apna Dal (S) and Nishad Party.

The alliance between BJP and Apna Dal (S) has been consecutive in the 2014 and 2019 national elections as well as 2017 U.P assembly elections. Nishad party, led by Sanjay Nishad, has been in an alliance with the former since 2019. Although the parties are yet to decide on the seat sharing ratio, Apna Dal (S) leader Anupriya Patel has said that the seat share of her party will be more than last term's allocation. In 2017, the Apna Dal (S) was given 11 seats out of which it won 9 seats.

A meeting on the alliance for U.P assembly elections was held earlier this month which was attended by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and chaired by party President J.P Nadda along with the allied political parties.

BJP President J.P Nadda, while addressing the media said, "we are allying with them for all 403 seats (in the UP Assembly)". The party, last week, had released its first list of candidates for the U.P election first two phases. A total of 57 names have been announced for the first phase of elections, scheduled for February 10 and 48 names for the 2nd phase of the state elections which is scheduled for February 14.

Calling it a double-engine government, the BJP chief said CM Yogi's government has made consistent determination to implement central government's efforts on ground because of which one may see transformation and saga of development.

Apna Dal (S) leader and Lok Sabha MP Anupriya Patel called the alliance a "great cocktail of development and social justice". 'Modi government worked for Dalits, backwards, NDA alliance formed for development and justice," Anupriya Patel said.

While addressing the media, Anupriya Patel said, "We have always struggled for justice for the common man. With PM Modi we realised we can strengthen social justice... issues like OBC commission...reservation for backward classes... we got support from this government. So, we decided this alliance will be taken forward in 2022."

Hailing C.M Yogi's effort in the state, Anupriya also said that his government extended OBC creamy layer from 6 lacs to 8 lacs, as well as implementation of 27 percent other backward classes (OBC) quota in the medical counselling for NEET-PG admissions.

Nishad party's leader Sanjay Nishad also took a swipe at the opposition parties saying that the Backward classes were being betrayed and orphaned.

"Only meager reservation in jobs was there but this government helped... gave it in educational institutions too. In U.P, parties kept changing but backward classes' condition did not. Issues that remained unresolved for 70 years are being resolved under this government," Sanjay Nishad said.

As per the first list of candidates announced by BJP last week, Yogi Adityanath will be contesting from the stronghold of Gorakhpur (urban). The state will go to polls over seven phases starting February 10, with results due on March 10.

Speaking to Hans India exclusively, Anupriya Patel also said that given the Covid-19 Omicron threat in the nation the Election Commission has taken note of the situation as it is the priority of the commission to make sure the elections have to be conducted by the lives of the citizens needs to be safe.

"Bigger parties definitely have bigger paraphernalia. But smaller parties like us are also prepared to go in for a digital campaign using all the different platforms, social media, every instrument that is available," Patel said.

She added that though her party might not have a big set-up for campaigning like other political parties, but her party Apna Dal is prepared to go to the elections and she is confident of reaching the masses