The Akhil Bharatiya Patel Navnirman Sena (ABPNS), headed by Hardik Patel, announced Friday that it would support JD(U) in the 2017 Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh. This comes after JD(U) backed the ABPNS movement for Hardik’s release from jail and reservation for Patidars in Gujarat. JD(U), on its part, announced that the party may launch its campaign against BJP from Varanasi, with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar addressing a public meeting organised by ABPNS on March 6. The announcements came during a conference on “Significance of thoughts of Sardar Patel in current political scenario” in Varanasi, PM Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency. JD(U) secretary general and Rajya Sabha member K C Tyagi and another party MP in the Upper House R C P Singh were chief guests at the event. ABPNS national executive member Sushil Kashyap said the outfit will back JD(U) in UP polls. “ABPNS will support any organisation that supports our movement for release of Hardik Patel from jail and reservation for Patels in Gujarat. JD(U) has assured support to our movement from road to Parliament,” he said, adding that ABPNS will not contest UP polls. He further said ABPNS workers from Gujarat will also be invited to campaign for JD(U) in UP. He said an ABPNS delegation will meet Nitish in Patna soon to formally invite him for the March 6 mahapanchayat. He said Hardik may also attend the mahapanchayat, if he is released before that. Speaking to The Indian Express, Tyagi said, “We welcome the support announced by ABPNS. JD (U) too will support their movement for Hardik Patel and Patidar reservation at every platform.” He said ABPNS has proposed March 6 as date for the mahapanchayat in Varanasi from where JD(U) can start another campaign against BJP after the Grand Alliance victory in Bihar polls. He said March 6 is a significant day as Jayaprakash Narayan had addressed a huge meeting at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on March 6, 1974.
