HAVING EARLIER alleged that a “conspiracy” was afoot to hamper Apna Dal (S), party leader and state minister Ashish Patel took to social media to allege that funds of the information department were being “misused to spread rumours about split of Apna Dal(S).” In a Facebook post on Saturday, Ashish Patel wrote, “What is the pressure of the Information Department's Rs 1700-crore budget and what all one has to write and do under this pressure? One should ask a section of the media.” He added, “Under the pressure of this budget, Apna Dal-S is broken every day. Sometimes they have to run the news of nine MLAs fleeing and sometimes they have to spread the news of 12 MLAs switching sides. My wise and unsolicited advice to this section of the media is that do not keep up the daily hassles. In a single day, in fact today itself, divide Apna Dal (S) into as many parts as you want. As per your wish, get as many MLAs nine, ten or twelve included in whichever parties you want, get them done today itself.” Targeting the media and alleging that it was writing under pressure from the information department, Ashish said that this way "people pressuring you will also be happy and the Information Department's budget of Rs 1700 crore will also be utilized properly." Patel, who had in the past also alleged "conspiracy at work" claimed that Apna Dal is built by deprived and exploited sections of the society. He said that the party is used to such conspiracies since its inception and that workers would not be misled by it. When contacted Ashish Patel said that the reason for this post was that perception was being created on the basis of statements of those, who were expelled by the party a few years ago. “Statements of those who were expelled from the party years back are being taken into consideration to project a 'split' in the party. What else can we say, except that we would. Ot be demoralized by these conspiracies and rumours. As for the rest, I have said in my post,” Ashish told The Indian Express.
