Lok Sabha Elections: Apna Dal sets 6-day deadline for BJP in UP

LUCKNOW: Two days after it threatened to snap ties with BJP, Apna Dal (Sonelal), a key ally of BJP in the state, set a 6-day deadline on Friday for the saffron party to adhere to its demands. Apna Dal has also convened a meeting of its core committee on February 28 to take a final call on the alliance.
Confirming the development, Apna Dal (S) chief Ashish Singh Patel told TOI that so far BJP has ignored all its demands, including reservation to Dalits and OBCs in posting of DMs and SSPs in UP districts.
On Wednesday, Union minister and Apna Dal convener Anupriya Patel had accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of snubbing her party and said that the party was free to take a call on continuing its alliance with the BJP.
Apna Dal’s warning comes amid speculations of the Kurmi dominated party opening back channel negotiations with the Congress for a likely tie-up for Lok Sabha elections. On Thursday, Ashish Singh Patel met Congress west UP general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia, also a Kurmi leader. But Patel termed the meeting as a courtesy saying “they were good friends”.
Speaking to TOI, Singh denied that Apna Dal (S) was in talks with any party for Lok Sabha elections as of now. “The future course of action would be decided only after February 28 meeting,” he added.
Apna Dal, which won Pratapgarh and Mirzapur Lok Sabha seats in 2014 in alliance with the BJP, has accused the senior ally of ignoring its demands.
Anupriya Patel has even said that while her party stuck to the principle of alliance, the same was not reciprocated by the BJP in the recent times. She has also accused the BJP of not inviting her to government functions of her department.