‘Even if 60% Patels vote, you can imagine Modi’s gain’

Anupriya Patel, 33, is general secretary and lone MLA (Rohaniya in Varanasi) of the Apna Dal, which has allied with the BJP after talks with the Congress failed.

Anupriya Patel, 33, is general secretary and lone MLA (Rohaniya in Varanasi) of the Apna Dal, which has allied with the BJP after talks with the Congress failed. In this interview, she explains why she switched sides:

How do you hope to weather the opposition from the BJP cadre in Mirzapur and Pratapgarh?
Whenever there is an alliance, the expectations of some people are affected. It is certainly unpleasant when constituencies they were nurturing are suddenly given away in an alliance. In Mirzapur, the seat I will contest, I know the BJP’s Om Prakash Singh was working hard. But in any alliance, certain sacrifices have to be made by both parties for bigger gains.

The Apna Dal wanted to contest Varanasi because of its Patel voters. How many of these votes do you hope to transfer to Modi?
As a partner, it becomes our duty to add to his vote share. Varanasi has about 2.5 lakh Patel voters; even if 60 per cent vote, you can imagine the votes in his favour.

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Your party is often called a “game spoiler” in eastern UP.
The Apna Dal will not play the role of a spoiler if a national party is committed to the interests of depressed, subaltern social groups once it comes to power. Modiji has asserted that the coming years of Indian politics will be dedicated to Dalits and OBCs. UP has 48 constituencies where Patel voters account for 5 to 15 per cent of the population. They will vote unanimously as the likelihood of an NDA government is high.

What went wrong with talks with the Congress?
We had met Madhusudan Mistry as well as Jitendra Singh. They were offering us useless seats without much logic. They wanted us to contest Domariyaganj just because their own MP had left them.

What is your biggest challenge in this alliance?
The biggest challenge is time… we are in the middle of the election. Suddenly, workers of both parties have to accept a partner that they have been opposing until now. Once you start working, these things fade, but there is a psychological discomfort that takes time… These are part and parcel of an electoral process and we will overcome it.

Will Modi campaign for you?
Yes, we have been assured Modi ji will campaign for us.