Apna Dal reaffirms alliance with BJP, gets 2 seats to contest

Lucknow,  March 15:

Putting an end to all speculations, Apna Dal has entered into an alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for Lok Sabha elections 2019 and will be contesting on two seats in Uttar Pradesh.

Before the announcement, Apna Dal (S) leader and union minister Anupriya Patel met with BJP president Amit Shah and finalised the seat sharing arrangement.

Post discussion, Apna Dal was given the Mirzapur seat to contest, where most likely Anupriya Patel may contest from. The name of other seat is yet to be decided.

Since last month there were many variations in the statements of Apna Dal leaders signalling that not everything was alright between the two political parties.

On February 22,Apna Dal(S) convener and minister of state in Modi cabinetAnupriya Patelhad said that her party will now be free to choose its own path as theBJPleadership was not displaying any interest in resolving her partys issues.

However hours later,Ashish Patel, National President ofApna Dalstatedthat the party is very much part ofNDAas of now and the future course will be decided by the end of February after a meeting of party office bearers.

Later amidst tension in ties with theBJP,Apna Dal(S), had called a meeting of all its state and national leaders in Lucknow on February 28.

Apna DaljoinedNDAbefore 2014 elections. The party contested2014 general elections alongsidetheBJP. Together, they won 73 out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats.