Patel provides SP a missing link to Kurmis

The SP has already tied up with Kalyan Singh,the undisputed leader of the OBCs Lodh community. A senior leader from the Kurmi community was a missing link in the grand alliance of the OBCs being forged by the SP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. With the exit of Beni Prasad Verma,the SP lacked a leader from the Kurmi community who is identified across the state. Verma,the tallest Kurmi leader of the SP,left the party several years ago and joined the Congress. On the other hand,Patel left the Congress to join the SP.

In 1989,when Yadav became the chief minister for the first time as the leader of the Janata Dal,Patel and he were at daggers drawn. Patel was then identified as a confidante of VP Singh.

In early 1990,the then prime minister VP Singh,who then led the Janata Dal,had nominated Rampoojan Patel as the state president of the Janata Dal. Yadav vehemently opposed his appointment.

When Patel arrived in Lucknow and moved a procession to the state JD office on Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg,supporters of Yadav forcibly stopped his caravan. Patel was forced to beat a hasty retreat.

The atmosphere was,however,very different today with Yadav praising Patel for deciding to join the SP.

“It is opportunity in politics that decides the fate of the politicians. Patel is a senior leader with four-term as a parliamentarian and a three-term legislator and former union minister. He also could have become the chief minister but I got the opportunity and became the chief minister of the state,” said Yadav.

“Patel’s joining will certainly strengthen the party base,” he added. Patel was elected to the Lok Sabha for three times from the Phoolpur seat in Allahabad,a constituency from where Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was elected thrice as well.