Apna Dal leader and Union Minister Anupriya Patel with BJP National President JP Nadda. file
Apna Dal Leader and Union Minister Anupriya Patel talks to Hindu
‘S nistula hebbar But
Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and issues related to them.
How are you looking at these elections, especially after the exit of ten Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs from the Samajwadi Party (SP)? Do you think the caste combination that brought the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to power in 2014, 2017 and 2019 elections is still intact?
I don’t want to deny the fact that leaders like
Swami Prasad Maurya ,
Yes and Dara Singh Chauhan-
Yes There are prominent faces, they are influential people. However, I always believe that
Movement of MLAs and Ministers Switching from one party to another just before an election is not taken very well by the general electorate. voters understand this
such switch-over are guided more by political gain rather than issue-based politics. If there was a serious issue with the party where they [those who left] Has served as minister or MLA, he could have taken this step much before the elections. If you do this on the cusp of an election, it is more likely that you have doubts about retaining your seats and switch to another party to increase your chances of winning. That’s how I see it.
You have been a consistent ally of the BJP since 2014. How do you negotiate this relationship with a much larger, stronger party?
When we are in an alliance, both the partners have to adjust to each other. It cannot be one sided. We
Small party of BJP But there is no occasion when we have shied away from raising issues related to the ideology of social justice followed by Apna Dal. These concerns were taken care of and addressed from time to time.
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For example, the issue of OBC (Other Backward Classes) reservation in NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) exams – I raised it in the NDA meeting and spoke to the top BJP leadership. This has been seriously looked into by the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the matter has been resolved.
All India Judicial Service is an issue that we keep taking up with our alliance partners, and we see that there is an intention [there] Very. Let’s see what happens. We have also been raising the demand for a separate OBC ministry, as recommended by the parliamentary committee on this, and raising the ‘creamy layer’ limit in OBC reservation to ₹15 lakh per annum income.
We don’t shy away from voicing our concerns, and a mutual adjustment takes place.
You are also facing a family issue with your mother-led Apna Dal (K), which is allied with the SP. Isn’t it strange to you?
Not at all, not at all. After the death of my father, the reins of the party was handed over to me by my own partymen. I was not someone who claimed it on my own. And I think the journey of the party has been beautiful since I have been in power. My people are standing behind me. Yes, there is definitely some disturbance, but every time the election result has shown and you too will appreciate that Apna Dal voter is stuck with me. I do not want to make any big claim but in these elections also you will see that the voter will be with me.
What is your view on your sister Pallavi Patel contesting against Keshav Maurya in Sirathu?
It is between Apna Dal (K) and SP, I have nothing to say. All I can say is that NDA will win.
This time, under seat adjustment, you have fielded a candidate from Suar in western Uttar Pradesh, where Haider Ali, grandson of senior Congress leader Begum Noor Bano, is in the fray against SP’s Azam Khan. Did BJP ask you to take that seat or was it your choice?
This was my choice. I want to spread my party across the state and we asked for seats. We found a suitable candidate, a young face, clean image and coming from a family with a political legacy. People in Sur love him. It is good to give opportunity to youngsters like him who are promising and can turn things around in a place like Rampur where we have seen what is happening in last few years. I have faith in my candidate.