Rift widens between Samajwadi Party and Apna Dal (K) over seat-sharing

The Samajwadi Party is struggling to keep with its newly-found ally, the Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), over seat sharing for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

The differences between the two parties have come to fore even as Krishna Patel-led Apna Dal (K) is likely to decide today (February 4) on continuing ties with Akhilesh Yadav. As per the agreement, Apna Dal (K) is to fight 18 seats.

Krishna Patel is the mother of Anupriya Patel (Apna Dal (S)), an ally of the BJP. Pallavi Patel, the eldest daughter of Krishna, is in Lucknow to discuss bottlenecks in seat-sharing, which includes the Sirathu seat where she is Samajwadi Party’s candidate against Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya. Reports suggest that Samajwadi Party’s local leaders do not want Pallavi Patel as their candidate.

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Pallavi Patel too is not very keen on fighting from Sirathu because Akhilesh Yadav has not yet declared if his party is willing to offer her Samajwadi Party’s symbol. Besides, she is unsure about taking on Keshav Prasad Maurya, who is a powerful leader.

While Apna Dal (K) has got 18 seats to contest, it isn’t happy with some of the seats offered to it as part of the alliance. For instance, the party wanted Allahabad West seat, but Samajwadi Party declared its own candidate from here. Apna Dal (K) has rejected eight seats offered to it by the Samajwadi Party.

Apna Dal (Kameravadi) may go alone in case Pallavi Patel and Akhilesh Yadav are unable to sort out the differences on Friday.

The upcoming UP elections will be held in seven phases– February 10, February 14, February 20, February 23, February 27, March 3, and March 7. The counting of votes shall take place on March 10. The BJP, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is seeking to retain power while Samajwadi Party president and former CM Akhilesh Yadav is keen on making a comeback in the state.