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The family issues within Apna Dal(S) and Apna Dal(K) have led to a piquant situation in Pratapgarh Assembly seat with the former on Tuesday deciding to hand over the seat to ally BJP after Apna Dal(K) national president Krishna Patel filed her nomination as joint candidate of Samajwadi Party (SP) alliance.
Krishna Patel is the mother of Apna Dal(S) president and Union minister Anupriya Patel. In 2015, the mother and daughter parted ways as they split Apna Dal that was founded by Krishna’s husband Sonelal.
By the time Apna Dal(S) asked the BJP to field its candidate, its national general secretary Rajendra Prasad had already filed his nomination papers. With the time running out, the BJP asked district treasurer Rajendra Kumar to file the nomination.
Upset with alleged “lack of communication” from the party leadership, Prasad has so far not withdrawn his candidature. “On January 26, the party leadership had asked me to prepare for contesting the elections and purchase nomination papers. Today, I filed the nomination. But an hour later, I came to know that the party has given the seat to BJP and somebody has filed nomination from there as well,” Prasad said.
“Nobody from my party has contacted me so far. I have filed the nomination to contest the election. I have no plans to withdraw as of now,” he added.
February 11 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations. Pratapgarh will vote in the fifth phase on February 27.
Apna Dal(S) spokesperson Rajesh Patel said, “After getting information that her mother Krishna Patel will be contesting from Pratapgarh Sadar, Apna Dal(S) president Anupriya Patel decided to withdraw our candidate and hand over the seat to BJP. Anupriya-ji does not want to field a candidate against her mother. She preferred relations over politics,” the spokesperson said. On Prasad’s nomination, Patel said, “He will be asked to withdraw. Party will not give him symbol.”
In the 2017 elections, Apna Dal(S) nominee Sangamlal Gupta had won the seat in alliance with the BJP. In a by-election in 2019, party’s Rajkumar Pal was elected from the constituency.
BJP’s Pratapgarh district president Hariom Mishra said, “Apna Dal(S) informed us today (Tuesday) morning that it will not contest because Krishna Patel is contesting. In a short span of time, the BJP decided to field district treasurer Rajendra Maurya.”
Krishna Patel, on the other hand, remained unmoved by Anupriya’s gesture. “When Mataji (Krishna Patel) was asked by reporters in this regard, she said—kaairon aur gaddaron ko tyagi banne ki jarurat nahi. (Cowards and traitors do not need to make sacrifices). Certainly they [Apna Dal(S)” withdrew its candidate fearing defeat,” said Apna Dal(K) general secretary Pankaj Niranjan.
Anupriya’s elder sister Pallavi is contesting from Sirathu on SP symbol against Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya.
