Apna Dal (K) ready to join NDA after snapping ties with SP

Lucknow: The Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) leader, Pallavi Patel, indicated on Friday that her party was ready to ally with the BJP-led NDA if they made such an offer.

This comes a day after the Apna Dal (K) snapped ties with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and announced its decision to contest the Lok Sabha polls on its own.

The Apna Dal (K) announced that it would contest from Mirzapur, Phulpur and Kaushambi Lok Sabha seats.

Interestingly, the sitting MP from Mirzapur is Pallavi Patel’s estranged sister and Union Minister, Anupriya Patel who heads the Apna Dal (Sonelal).

"There are no talks with the NDA right now. If an offer comes then our organisation will consider it," she told reporters on Friday.

SP President, Akhilesh Yadav had said on Thursday that the “alliance between the Apna Dal (K) and the Samajwadi Party was for the 2022 Assembly polls and not the 2024 Lok Sabha elections."

Pallavi Patel said, “Akhilesh Yadav is confused, all PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) votes are not his. He has only 35 per cent votes with him. If there is an alliance then we should have talked about it.”

It may be recalled that Pallavi Patel had won the 2022 Assembly elections on the SP symbol from Sirathu, defeating Deputy Chief Minister, Keshav Maurya.